Enjoy!

Chapter 25: The End of it All

Nerina was exhausted. It was her second day of traveling, and she was now in Lantern Waste. She was almost to the castle. Thankfully Arcadian horses need little rest, as long as they were sung to, which is what Nerina did the whole way.

An hour later, she reached the foot of the mountain. After resting and getting a drink for both her and her horse, Nerina rode up to the castle.

No more sad song

I'm letting it go now

Switched off, switched on

I'm letting you know

When she reached her destination, Nerina got off Hector and made sure he would not stray. She started to shake, and a voice inside her head said she could go back home, but a stronger one told her that she had to face her past and accept it to finally be able to move on.

You turned out the light

I'm gonna be alright without

Turn the radio off

No more sad song

Opening the doors of the deserted castle (for it was deserted- the servants gladly ran away to freedom, and the sons' wives had gone to seek their fortunes elsewhere), she called out. Of course no one answered, and that was probably better, since Nerina had not planned to do if it was still inhabited.

Slowly she walked through the castle, crying, but making herself stronger in the process. She went to the dungeon she had spent so many cold nights. She walked through Hunter's room, the servants' quarters, the King's chambers, and the sons' rooms. No one had been kind to her here. If not for fear of torture, or worse, the servants might have been kind, but there was no use dwelling on the "what-ifs".

These are the words

To describe all your offenses

You said love in the past tense

And then you let it go

Haven't you heard?

You are no longer respected

You are formally rejected

From the one you hurt

Finally she had the courage to enter the throne room. Silently thanking Aslan for it, she saw that someone had removed the corpses of the slain King and his soldiers. The blood was gone, but the cage still hung behind the throne, the bottom open, not touched since she had fallen out of it to meet her rescuers. Deciding to come back later, she walked outside, on the paths that Hunter had taken her so many times, while whispering his evils in her ear. She realized now that he was wrong, very wrong. Thanks to Susan, she was finally able to accept that she had been deceived. She was not ready for another relationship anytime soon, but eventually she knew she would be.

I used to have the longing to hear

What was in your heart

But now it seems I'm over the fear

Of this falling apart

It was while she was rethinking all this on the path when she reached a marker. She froze as she read, "King Hunter: Sleep in Peace."

"So this is where they buried you," she thought. "It was probably your sister-in-laws, still oblivious to the fact that the man they buried was the murderer of their father-in-law and husbands. Well at least now I can say what I've wanted to for a long time."

I see the picture clearer now, the fog has lifted.

The wool you tried to pull over my eyes was clever.

Yeah you're gifted.

And standing there in front of the grave, eyes never leaving the marker, she sang. She was through dwelling on the past, and fully knew what he did, and she told him so in her song.

But you forgot to dot some I's, and cross some T's along the way.

I'm better now despite you baby.

I'm stronger these days.

Stronger.

Finishing, she went back inside and headed into the throne room, knowing what she had to do.

I survived the crash.

Survived the burn.

Survived the worst, yeah baby, but I learned.

For a minute she wished she hadn't been so weak and brainwashed, so that that she would have been able to do then what she was about to do now. However, she reminded herself again that she came here to accept and move on, not dwell.

I survived the lies.

Survived the blues.

Almost killed me, but I survived the truth.

And when you wrote me off like I was doomed.

I survived you.

She took a deep breath, raised her hands, then, using her powers, destroyed the cage with ice daggers. She did the same with the throne.

I can look in the mirror now.

It's been a slow awakening.

Haunted by a heart full of you, couldn't help mistaking.

Singing, she proceeded to go throughout the large castle, covering the rooms in ice. She used the water from the air and clouds, and created a layer of slick ice over everything. When she was finished, she went outside and, still singing, covered the exterior of the castle in ice.

After a break for a drink of water, Nerina stood singing with Hector, now fully fed, a good distance away from the castle. She raised her hands, palms facing her body, then, concentrating on both singing and the building, she slowly squeezed her hands shut. As she did, the ice-covered castle collapsed. When the dust cleared, Nerina surveyed her work. Content, she walked to the stream, and washed her hands, finally free of Hunter.

That you could ever care for anyone.

Anyone but yourself. Hey.

But you would have to have a conscience baby.

Good luck I wish you well.

It was almost dark, and she was exhausted, so Nerina took out her pillow, and slept in the moonlight, under a blanket of stars. As she slept, a familiar shadow watched with kind eyes.

"Sleep well, young one," Aslan whispered.

NTMNTMNTMNTM

Nerina had been gone almost four days, and until she returned, the cast and crew of "The Ice Queen" had decided to practice.

They would be using the Petrobolo Theater, named after Nerina's grandfather.

The crew had been working on getting used to the new levers and spotlights. The cast had been practicing, with Gavlet reading Jadis' lines. He had really proved himself to be a great director, and was already planning on directing shows once he returned to Narnia.

Currently, the cast was working on a scene in the beginning of the musical when "How could you? How dare you?" was heard being sung. It was a line from the confrontation of Jadis and her sister.

This heart has been torn in two.

Cut and bruised.

With too many bitter endings.

I'll be darned if I have thoughts of you

Rain on my new beginning.

Everyone ran to greet a tired Nerina as she ran onstage.

"Sorry I'm late," she said, to which everyone laughed.

After being told by the entire cast to get some rest and return the next day for the dress rehearsal, Nerina left and got a good night's sleep.

She was also glad for her good friends after she told them of her trip the next day. The girls helped her burn everything she had received from Hunter, and they all had fun running and dancing in the garden where the two teens had spent so long talking. Nerina knew that now she was fully healthy, and would stay that way for good.

Songs Used-No More Sad Song and I Survived You by the talented Clay Aiken. These two songs are PERFECT song choices for these two chapters. I highly suggest you listen to them to get the full affect.

Please review!

Haras