Chapter 21: To Archenland We Go
"Thank you so much for letting us come with you." said Lucy, who was looking at her map of Narnia that is likely 1,400 years are so outdated and drawn in crayon that she had on her lap over her Sherlock Holmes book.
Queen Shasta, who sat in the carriage opposite Lucy with her husband, smiled lovingly at Lucy, and replied "My dear Queen, it is wonderful to have you accompany us. What a privilege for us to be in the presence of a mythical king and queen of old!"
David was talking to Edmund quietly, trying to brush Edmund up on politics without actually being involved with them himself. King David was very intelligent young man, but he was truly just the queen's husband. But what information he did possess was enough to give Edmund that main gist of what is going on.
"So, who is up for being king of Narnia?" Edmund asked David
"Well, Queen Kara seems skeptical of the whole marriage business. I believe that she is afraid that being married would cause her husband to have a higher position than herself. She views Shasta and mine's wedding as the exception to the rule."
"I can see her point."
"Yes, it is ever rumored that Sir Zerre has told her that if she marries him he won't even take the title of king."
"Sir Zerre loves Queen Kara?"
"Yes, it is the worst kept Narnian secret."
"You two sound like gossiping old hens." Lucy says, causing a chuckle from Shasta.
"Alright, back to disappearing Archenland. How did you notice that your kingdom was reducing?"
"My favorite tree, a lovely willow with a kind personality that lived on the edge of Archenland, went missing. She had lost mobility during with the battle against Lord Miraz, so I know she didn't just walk away. I sent out a search party, nothing came up. I then had the kingdom measured and found at little more than a kilometer missing around the perimeter. The land just disappeared." explained Shasta.
"How did this whole Silhouette character came into being?" asked Edmund
"Well, when citizens were questioned, one described seeing a human-like shadow that had a visible outline caused by mild white lights. This brought into existence the conspiracy theory of the remains of the White Witch stealing our nation a little at a time."
"Who was this witness?" asked Lucy
"A child, a young Telmarine girl named Liveia told us this."
"Alright, that is where we will begin our questioning, sound good to you Lu?"
Lucy nodded.
After few day long ride they were at the Archenland castle. Lucy and Edmund got situated and after their first meal they went to go talk to little Liveia.
Edmund and Lucy were given horses and they rode out to the destination indicated by Queen Shasta.
The house was a quaint little cottage. Lucy and Edmund went to the door and knocked. A young lady answered, she was rather beautiful with long, wavy brown hair, pale skin, freckles, and big brown eyes. She was not a Telmarine but an Archenland native, maybe they had gotten the wrong house. Her mouth formed a little O of surprise as she quickly curtsied and said "King Edmund, Queen Lucy, I cannot believe that in my life I get to meet you."
"How did you know who we are?" asked a befuddled Edmund
"The story books of you were very accurate in their illustrations of your majesties."
"What is your name?" asked Lucy
"Brea"
"We came here to talk to one Liveia Marine..."
"Liv, Kind Edmund and Queen Lucy are here to talk to you."
"What?" asked a sweet sounding voice.
"Come on in, your highnesses."
Edmund and Lucy entered and were brought to a comfy couch-like piece of furniture.
A little girl with crazy curly black hair, big beautiful brown eyes, a button nose, and sweet smile came and sat on her momma's lap. She could have been no older than four, Lucy leaned over to Edmund and told him "She looks like Snow White."
Liveia gave a shy little wave and said "Hi"
"Hello, young miss. We heard that you witnessed the theft of land, is this true?" inquired Edmund.
The girl giggled and told Edmund that he talked funny.
"Did you see a shadow that you told the police about?" asked Lucy
"Yeah!"
"Could you describe it to us?"
"Yeah" she said, nodding her hair, making her curls bounce. Lucy and Edmund looked at her, but she only stared back.
"Will you?"
"Okay! Um, it was dark outside, and through my window I saw some lights. At first I thought it was just our Eddie plant lighting up." Edmund rubbed at his forehead as Lucy laughed, Liveia paused her story, smiling brightly but not knowing what was so funny. "But it wasn't just Eddie. It was white lights, more like a fire than my plant. I water my plant, and sing to it, and I use it's lights to chase away the darkness. My momma says that I am a good gardener and I had a real green thumb. I told her that I did not have a green thumb and that made her laugh. Eddie is a good plant, momma says I am not allowed to have a pet so she lets me keep Eddie as a plant. And-"
"About the lights you saw that night?"
"Right, well I looked out my window and saw a shadow of a person. The next morning when I woke up the garden I keep Eddie in was smaller than it had been. I was really excited and ran and told momma that I got bigger, so her and daddy went to check on my garden and saw that it was smaller. So they asked me about what happened and I told them a saw a shadow and fire white light. So they made me tell the police and now I am telling you."
"Where is your father?" asked Edmund
"At work"
Edmund looked at Liveia's mother and she said "He is a palace guard."
"What's his name?"
"Armando"
Lucy looked at the adorable little girl and asked if there was anything else.
The little girl shook her head but asked Edmund "Is Eddie really named after you?"
Edmund smiled and nodded and the child squealed, jumped up, and gave him a hug. Edmund patted her on the top of the head like a dog.
"Can I get a hug too, Liveia?" asked Lucy, the girl's reply was to leap into her lap and kiss her on the cheek.
Edmund and Lucy shook Mrs. Brea Marine's hand and hopped onto their horses.
"What do we do next?" asked Lucy
"I don't quite know. Let's just search for another lead."
"Liveia was a lovely girl."
"Yes she is."
"Edmund, do you want children?"