Hello again. I am trying to get caught up so that I can put out a chapter a week and be done by the middle of June, like I originally planned. By the end of this month I plan to have all of ACT 2 posted.

Thanks to second daughter of eve for reviewing! I would be more than happy to give you some tips on your story! To everyone else, it is never to late to go back and review the chapters you didn't have a chance to review yet! Please do! I truly appreciate them!

Chapter 13 and 14 are part of the reason my wrists/hands were shot. They were so much fun to write, and I had been planning them, especially this one, for over a year, so I could not stop writing.

Please don't forget to review. Thanks

Chapter 14: Special Day

The next morning the Pevensies met with Adelphos.

"Now, today we are trying to get Nerina back to normal," Adelphos informed them, "and I don't know if it will work. I do have a plan though, and so I must ask Your Majesties one thing. I do not know how Nerina will respond to everything that's going to happen today. If the past two months are any indication, it probably won't be pretty. I must ask you that no matter what happens, that you remember I care deeply about Nerina, and everything I do is for her own good."

"Of course Adelphos," said Peter. "We know your intentions are good."

The Arcadian smiled. "Thank you. And now, we may go to breakfast and wait for our dear friend."

They went into the dining hall, and all sat down. A few minutes later a tired Nerina entered, rubbing her eyes.

"Good morning," she yawned. She looked at the table. "Wha-what's all this?"

"This, my friend," Adelphos said, "is a breakfast with all your favorites. Today we are going to spend the day together making you well again. Just look at what we have to eat. We have every Danish you could ever imagine. We have stuffed French toast, and hot chocolate just the way you like it."

Your eyes they sparkle,
That's all changed into lies that drop like acid rain
You washed away the best of me

Nerina slowly sat down and everyone started eating, keeping a close eye on Nerina, who ate very cautiously.

After they finished eating, Adelphos stood up.

"Now Nerina, if you could please go and change into one of your new dresses, then meet us in the kitchens."

A while later, everyone had changed and assembled in the kitchen. Adelphos had Nerina make ice to keep their surprise lunch cold.

Adelphos then gave Nerina a tall glass of water.

"Before we go, we both need water. Drink up Nerina," he said, after quickly drinking a glass himself.

"Why?" she asked.

"Arcadians need water to survive, now drink up."

"But I don't want to."

You don't care…

"You have to, or you will die."

"Well, when you put it that way…" Nerina wrinkled her nose and took a gulp.

"Ew!" she sputtered. "It tastes horrible!"

"It's just regular water Nerina, please drink the rest of it."

"No. I don't want to. Can't we just go?"

"No, we can't. It is for your own good. Please drink it."

"Yes Nerina, please?" Lucy asked.

Nerina looked at the pleading girl, then sighed. "Oh alright." She gulped down the rest, and coughed when she was finished.

"Now can we go?" she asked impatiently.

"Yes, and we must hurry. We are late."

You know you did it!

Edmund and Peter carried the baskets as the six went outside and away from the castle. Adelphos stopped in front of a large field of tall grass. He felt the grass.

"Good, it's still dewy. Come on Nerina!"

He started running. She laughed a bit, then ran after him, her sundress flowing in back of her. She held onto her hat as she ran faster and faster. The Pevensies, who were also running, though Peter and Edmund were careful with the baskets, noticed and laughed too as Nerina's smile grew wider, and her laughter more bell-like.

I'm gone
To find someone to live for
In this world
There's no light at the end of the tunnel tonight
Just a bridge that I gotta burn

She and Adelphos were fast, and halfway through the field they fell on the ground laughing. The Pevensies caught up and they too laughed as they rolled in the wet grass.

When they all had finished laughing, they brushed themselves off and continued walking. All of a sudden, Nerina ran ahead. Her friends smiled as they watched her run around the field.

"Come on," they heard Adelphos mutter. "Come on." Then he grinned, for Nerina had burst into dance. He ran ahead and danced with her, both Arcadians happy to be alive. Nerina started running again, with Adelphos and the siblings close behind. Suddenly, she stopped at the edge of the field. There, stretched out before them, was the sandy beach leading to the ocean.

Adelphos grabbed her hand. "What are you waiting for?" he panted.

Nerina stared into the waves.

Sometimes shattered
Never open
Nothing matters
When you're broken

Adelphos pulled off his shoes and walked in the sand, the Pevensies soon joining him.

Slowly, Nerina untied her lace-up sandals and, as if in a trance, walked toward the ocean. She smiled as her feet touched the water. She continued until the water was up to her knees, then reached down and caressed the waves. She breathed in deeply.

"Hey!" she shouted. "My head does not ache anymore, and I can breathe perfectly."

"It's the ocean air," said a pleased Adelphos.

A caw was heard, the sound piercing the ocean air. Nerina jumped, startled. "What was that?" she asked, staring into the horizon.

"That was a seagull," replied Adelphos.

"Of course," she smiled.

Always ending
Always over
Back and forth, up and down like a roller coaster
I am breaking
That habit
Today

The six spent the rest of the morning on the beach, splashing in the water and making sandcastles.

Lunch consisted yet again of Nerina's favorites. They ate their chicken salads on the beach, watching the waves. Once again, Adelphos forced Nerina to drink a glass of water, to which she still argued a little, but she drank it in the end.

For supper they headed back to Cair Paravel. They ate Nerina's favorite dish- Chicken Parmesan, with a side of noodles and Alfredo sauce. And this time Nerina quickly drank all her water with no argument.

Afterwards everyone went up to the music room, where Nerina played for them. The Pevensies were happy, because Adelphos had done his job. Nerina was different now. She was more joyous, and there was something about her that seemed extra special. Adelphos had the same air around him too. It was the air of and Arcadian, a joyous and musical Arcadian. Of course, Nerina's voice was still husky, but the day was not over yet.

Adelphos sand and played piano for everyone. Then he had Nerina close her eyes as he brought in one of his trunks. When she opened her eyes, he explained.

"This is a special trunk for you Nerina. I had its contents placed in one of my trunks so that if I had been attacked, and the attackers discovered what I was transporting, they would be more likely to take a Princess' trunk than a commoner's. Well that was my hope anyway. What is so special about this trunk's contents? This is."

He opened the trunk and Nerina cried out. Tears streaming down her face, she reached in and pulled out a black case. Trembling, she grabbed the handle and let the case hang by her side.

"Thank you," she sobbed.

Adelphos had tears in his eyes as he hugged his Princess. "Welcome back," he whispered.

Nerina wiped her eyes and set the case down on a chair. Undoing the clasps, she opened the case to reveal a gorgeous dark brown violin.

Nerina sank to her knees, sobbing. "Oh Vi, I thought I would never see you again."

You know you did it!

Quietly, Adelphos turned to the Pevensies and explained. "Every Arcadian names their major instrument. Nerina's violin's name is Violet."

Once again, Nerina wiped her eyes. She then rosined the bow and took out the violin. She tuned it to the piano, eyes sparkling even more than the new usual.

"We made sure no one opened it," said Adelphos.

"Thank you dear friend. Now I shall play you all a song. My song actually. I shall play the song I composed. Arcadians create a song for their major instrument. Each year they add a new part to it, starting from the first moment they can play their instrument. Each part represents and corresponds with a year of their life. I will add my new sections to the song now."

The song that followed was a beautiful one. They could clearly tell which part described her birth, her first experience with her violin, her year with King Hunter, and finally, her joy in being rescued.

Everyone clapped, and the Pevensies couldn't believe she had created the last two sections on the spot.

"And now you sing," said Adelphos as he slid onto the piano bench.

"Um, alright," said Nerina, finally closing her case.

"How about her famous duet?"

"I'll try."

I'm gone
To find someone to live for
In this world
There's no light at the end of the tunnel tonight
Just a bridge that I gotta burn

Adelphos played the intro on the piano. Nerina opened her mouth, breathed in…and nothing came out.

Her eyes widened as she tried to sing, but still, nothing came out.

"I can't sing," she panicked. "I try to sing, but nothing happens."

"We can try again tomorrow," Adelphos said gently.

"But, but, my singing voice! It's gone! I must go and take a hot bath. That might help my vocal chords. Good-night everyone."

Oh, I'm already gone

Everyone was quiet as she grabbed her violin case and left.

"Well, she is almost completely better," Adelphos sighed.

"Thank you," said Peter. "We would never have thought of anything you did today."

Already gone…

"I am just glad Nerina is almost back to normal. Well, there's nothing more I can do today. Good-night everyone." The Pevensies had told him that day that he could be on a first name relationship with them, since he was with Nerina.

The siblings were exhausted as well, and so the four wished one another a goodnight, and went off to bed.

I'm gone

Song Used-Gone by Kelly Clarkson

Haras