Previously

Then in the middle of the night, Brielle woke up to a loud bang. Her eyes flew open and she sat up in bed…

She heard some loud groaning from across the other room. Where the sitting room was.

"What's going on she asked?" utterly confused.

The girls began to laugh.

"Remember what I told you about waking up in the middle of the night?" said Gael.

Chapter Eight. Truths Told and Secrets Hidden

An hour and a half later, and Brielle and the other girls were still up waiting for silence from the other side of the sitting room door.

"When will it end?" Brielle groaned, "I can't believe you all put up with this!"

"It's not that bad," said Meava, looking up from her book.

"She's right," said Torah, "It's only a couple times a week. Although, they've never gone this long before."

"That's for sure. They're probably compensating for the night they missed this week," added Chassell.

This caused the girls, even Brielle, to laugh.

"Alright, alright," said Gael, "That's enough."

"Gael, you're such a killjoy," Torah said.

"I can't take it anymore," said Brielle getting out of bed, "The insensitivity of these two is beyond belief."

"Where are you going?" Chassell asked.

"I'm going to check this out," Brielle said taking her candle and walking into the other room.

"WHAT!" The other girls practically shouted.

"You're going to go…in there?" said Meava taking her candle and following her.

"This I got to see," said Torah as she, Gael, and Chassell all took their candles and followed Meava.

"No, I'm not going in there," Brielle said.

When she came close to the door she blew out her candle and pressed her ear against the door.

"Why are you doing this?" said Gael.

"Shhh," Brielle whispered, "If you're staying, blow out your candles."

All four candles went out.

Brielle stood completely still at the door. She could hear some heavy breathing and the slight movement of the bed (or some piece of furniture) being scraped against the floor.

Then she did the most unbelievable thing.

She knocked loudly on the door.

All of the girls gasped in disbelief.

"What are you doing?" Gael said in a half loud whisper.

"Shhh," Brielle whispered again pressing her ear harder against the door.

"Did you hear that?" came Liliandil's voice from the other side.

"Hear what?" said Caspian groggily.

"That noise, that banging on the wall. You didn't hear it?"

"All I hear is your heavy breathing."

Brielle laughed quietly to herself.

"What are they saying?" asked Meava.

"Wait," Brielle said.

"Caspian," said Liliandil from the other side, "We probably need to get to sleep. You have a council meeting in the morning and we also have court."

"Oh, I'm so excited."

Brielle heard a soft giggle from Liliandil, but then there was silence. She waited for about ten seconds and then removed her ear from the door.

"Let's go to bed," she said to the girls.

"I cannot believe you did that," said Gael as they carefully walked through the sitting room and back to their beds.

"It worked, didn't it?" Brielle said, climbing into her bed, "And anyway it'll be the last time."

"Why?" said Torah.

"Because in the morning I'm going to tell the Queen that she and the king should tone down their lovemaking escapades."

"No, you are not!" said Gael standing straight up.

"Do you value your life at all?" Chassell said.

"Can I watch?" said Torah excitedly.

"Relax," said Brielle, "I'm going to do it by myself and I won't even mention any of you.

"What will you tell the Queen?" asked Meava.

"I don't know yet," Brielle said, "I'm thinking on it though."

"Uhhgg, I can't believe this," said Gael falling back into bed.

The next morning, the girls (who ended up sleeping in) didn't bring up the subject as they got dressed and went into the royal bedchamber.

Brielle and Chassell were both asked by Liliandil to help her in court.

"Your Majesty," said Brielle, "Is it alright if Torah and I go to court with you? Chassell says she has a hard time in court."

Chassell looked like she was going to attack Brielle.

"Of course," said Liliandil, "Chassell, if you don't like court, I'll find another job for you."

"Yes, your majesty," she said.

When they all got up to leave, Brielle held on to Torah's arm as a signal for her to keep sitting.

"What I said last night was a joke," she whispered.

"I need a witness and a back up," Brielle whispered back.

"Girls, is something wrong?" asked Liliandil.

"Sort…of," said Torah.

Liliandil looked confused. She nodded for Helaine to leave so she was alone with them.

"What's wrong?" she said.

Brielle took a deep breath and started, "Your Majesty, we didn't get much sleep last night, which resulted in us all sleeping in this morning."

"Yes," said Torah quickly, "That is true."

"Why? What's wrong?" Liliandil asked.

"I'll put it to you simply," said Brielle, "You and your husband kept us all up last night because of your lovemaking. And according to the other girls, this has been going on for quite a while."

Silence so thick you could cut a knife through it. Brielle was expecting thunder and lightning in the background. Torah looked like she was going to pass out.

Liliandil didn't say anything. She just stared out them for a few seconds in complete disbelief.

"Torah," she finally said, "You've been working hear longer, is this true?"

"Yes," she squeaked out.

Another moment of painful silence followed.

"Girls I am so sorry!" Liliandil finally said. "I just…I can't believe we've been keeping you all up and possibly… prohibiting you all from doing your work well. What were we thinking?"

She sank back into her chair and then she started to smile.

Torah and Brielle looked at each other in shock

"Caspian is not going to believe this," she said as she started to laugh.

"So, you're not mad at us?" Torah asked.

"No," said Liliandil, "Most certainly not."

"That's relieving," said Brielle.

Liliandil stood up, "I'll tell Caspian. When…I don't know. It'll be sometime today. You two go and head on down to breakfast."

Both girls bowed to the Queen and booked it outside the bedchamber. When they got to the stairs they started to laugh.

"Now was that so bad?" said Brielle.

"No, I guess not," said Torah, "I've known Caspian all my life anyway; I seriously doubt he'll get angry about this. Especially if his wife is telling him."

"I didn't know you've known him that long," said Brielle as they walked down the stairs.

"Oh yes. So have Chassell and Meava. He's known us all since we were babies and doesn't mind telling people that. Gets really annoying."

"You've been in Narnia all your life then?"

"Yes. My family has been working here for…my goodness…probably since the beginning of time," said Torah, "It's just my mother and me though. My father was a soldier and he was killed in battle when I was five."

"I'm so sorry," said Brielle, "It's never occurred to me to ask you or any of you about your lives. I can be so selfish sometimes."

"Oh no, it's not your fault. I have a hard time telling people about my life. Very rarely do I open up about it. So I guess that makes you special."

Brielle smiled, "And Chassell and Meava? What about them?"

"They were both daughters of two of King Miraz's lords. Chassell's father was…oh which one was he…Lord Sopespian and I think Meava's father was Lord Gregorie."

Brielle wanted to ask more, but they were entering into the dining room. Both girls bowed and hurried over to their end of the table where Gael, Chassell, and Meava were all sitting.

"Did you tell her?" said Gael as soon as they sat down.

"Yes," said Brielle helping herself to from fruit, "and she laughed and said she would talk to Caspian."

"That's it?" said Chassell.

"That's it," said Torah, "It was very easy actually."

"Well, that's good to know," said Meava.

The rest of breakfast went well. The Queen came in with Helaine, and sat down next to her husband. The girls tried not to look their way, but sometimes it was impossible. Finally breakfast was over and they all went to do their tasks.

Brielle and Torah both entered the court with Liliandil. It was filled with men and a few women. Brielle could see Lord Drinian and Lord Rhince up at the front. Caspian came in with Lord Trumpkin and sat down.

"What do they talk about in here?" whispered Brielle as court began.

"Anything and everything that has nothing to do with me," said Torah, "You are in for the longest hour of your life."

"Then why are we here if we don't have a voice?"

"In case the Queen may need something. Why would you want to speak in court anyway?"

"Well, we have just as much right to speak out as anybody else, don't we?"

"Sure, but they won't want to listen to the ladies-in-waiting. As far as these men are concerned, we are invisible."

"Not Gael's father," said Brielle.

"That's true, but Lord Rhince is only one man."

When court began, Brielle found it anything but boring. They not only talked about Narnia, but other countries outside of Narnia. About the people, the economy, the land. All of it fascinated her.

What if she had a voice? She knew what lay outside Narnia's borders. Could she help the people in Ettinsmore? Could she stop people like Jadellias?

She was determined to ask Liliandil to go with court with her the next time she went and find Lord Rhince and talk to him.

The rest afternoon went by pleasantly. The girls were much more relaxed during lunch, the afternoon walk in the garden, and brief errands for the queen. Finally at 4:00 they headed up to their room.

"I don't want to go to defense training," whined Torah as threw herself on her bed.

"It's just one more night and then it's the weekend," said Meava.

Somebody knocked at the door.

"I'll get it," said Chassell.

"Who is it?" she asked when she got to the door.

"Ironhoof."

She shot the girls a questioning look and opened the door.

"Sorry, if I've interrupted anything, but I came here to tell you that defense classes have been cancelled tonight."

"Somebody loves me!" cried Torah as she jumped on her bed.

"Why, what's wrong?" asked Gael.

"The King would like to see all five of you in his office. Right now."

Brielle and Meava both looked at each other with similar shocked expressions and Torah fell off the bed.

"Somebody really hates you," Chassell said to her.

"We'll be there as soon as possible," said Gael.

When Ironhoof left, the girls hurriedly combed and redid their hair and smoothed out their dresses.

"Let's go," said Gael, "The sooner we get this over with, the better.

"You still wish defense classes were cancelled?" Chassell asked Torah.

"Shut up," she replied.

Soon the girls found them outside of Caspian's office doors. Gael knocked softly on the door. They all waited for an answer.

"Come in," came Caspian's calm voice on the other side.

Gael opened the door and they all went in. His office was beautiful with dark wood and elegant paintings. The windows were all open letting in the fresh evening air. Caspian was up front behind a massive desk doing paperwork.

He looked up when he saw them come in and bow respectively.

"Come," he said.

They all approached his desk and waited. He put his papers down and sat back in his chair.

Finally he said, "The Queen has told me about a certain issue that came up this morning concerning all of you."

Meava started to cry.

"Start packing!" said Torah.

"Wait, wait, wait," said Caspian who started to laugh, "You're not in trouble. I'm glad you told us and I'm sorry that it has been such an issue."

"You brought us up here to apologize to us?" asked Chassell.

"Yes," said Caspian.

"Well, thank you," said Gael, "We really didn't know exactly how to tell you-"

"If something needs to be said, then say it," said Caspian, "How else are you ever going to see change in your life?"

Gael didn't say anything, but her face seemed to say that there was something more on her mind.

Chassell also got a worried look on her face. Hers though seemed frightened. Like she knew a secret.

Brielle couldn't help but notice both.

"Why was defense classes cancelled?" asked Torah.

"Well, I though since I've deprived you all of sleep this morning the least I can do is let you go to bed early," said Caspian, "Just don't make telling me what to do a habit."

The girls giggled.

"You can go now," he said.

"Thank you," they all said and bowed to him.

They all practically rushed out the door. Once it was closed they breathed a sigh of relief.

"I am so glad that is over," said Meava.

"We all are," said Gael on their way back to their bedroom, "Thank you Brielle for doing this."

"Were you all right back in his office when he said saying what you need to say?" Brielle asked her quietly.

"It's complicated. There's just some…personal issues that's going on. It's ok though. I'm taking care of it," she said.

Complicated personal issues? Who can take care of those by themselves?