Mrs. Rogers, or Rinora as they called her here, and Queen Rajiisa were laying side by side on two granite slabs.
"I don't see why you can't make these tables more comfortable," said Mrs. Rogers.
"It's good for the body. The granite is from the earth. I grounds your body."
It was Cyan, Rajiisa's chief beauty consultant. She was applying a thick oil to Roger's face and neck. Rajiisa was already finished with this step and was now encased in a clay mask, unable to speak. It was their weekly beauty treatment.
"Grounds the body, what kind of talk is that?" said Mrs. Rogers.
"It is a beauty secret, long passed down by my people," replied Cyan.
Her people. Rogers didn't trust her. Cyan was from the kingdom that had fought against Nelirion, Rajiisa's home. Rinora had advised the queen not to take her in, but the queen had insisted that she had beauty secrets that no one in their land possessed. So every week they spent hours undergoing her beauty regimen. Rogers had to admit, she could see a difference but she still she didn't like the woman.
"It is time for the facial massage, now be still."
The woman massaged Mrs. Roger's face. "Always up and out, never pull the skin down," she said. "We must work against gravity. We will keep you young."
"Yes, keep me young, I like that part," said Rogers.
"Be quiet. If you follow these regimens, you will stay young, even past one hundred years of age," the woman explained. "Then one day you will lay down and poof you will no longer exist."
"What about eternity? The human soul?" asked Rogers. "Don't you believe in the afterlife?"
"We are not such fools," replied Cyan.
"Well, say what you want, but I will not 'poof' and no longer exist."
"Be quiet! I am about to apply your mask. Now make a pleasant face."
Mrs. Rogers tried to smile, but it wasn't easy looking up at that woman. She must think of something pleasant. Narnia…she began to smile. She thought of Susan and Col and all their exploits together. She missed Susan…no, she mustn't think of that. She thought of Susan as a queen in Narnia. Reigning for years and years. And Prince Rabadash falling madly in love with her. That made her smile. Susan, Peter, Edmund and Lucy all reigning for years and years, then finally returning to England. They stepped through the wardrobe and…
Mrs. Rogers jumped up. Her eyes, the only visible things on her face other than two holes for her nostrils, were wild with excitement. Cyan tried to hold her down, but she couldn't. "You must not move."
"Um, um, um!" was all that Rogers could manage. She moved both hands in a circular motion and hopped about. She was so excited she couldn't contain herself. Rajiisa sat up and looked at her friend.
"Umm, ummm?" asked Rajiisa.
"Um, um, um, um!" replied Rogers.
Cyan pulled Rajiisa down onto the granite slab. "You must be still, I will remove the mask. You're time is up." Cyan slowly removed the mask from Rajiisa's face, then massaged in a fluid which stung slightly at first.
Mrs. Rogers sat dutifully watching her friend go through the last stages of the treatment. Then when it was finished she lay down and motioned for Cyan to remove her mask.
"You will not have the full effect if I remove it now." Mrs. Rogers motioned again. "It is your decision." She removed the mask slowly from Mrs. Rogers. As soon as it was off the area around her mouth, she jumped up.
"I've got it! I've got it! I've got it!" She cried and clapped her hands together. She really looked quite comical with the clay covering most of her face and only her mouth moving. Some clay dangled from her chin as she spoke giving her a billy goat like appearance.
Rajiisa went to her friend. "What do you have? All I see is that silly mask."
"I have the ultimate rejuvenator! Oh, it's better, much better than these masks!"
Cyan stood back and carefully listened. Rajiisa tried to calm her friend.
"It's the wardrobe! The wardrobe and it's time differential. It's the ultimate rejuvenator!"
Susan was tired, tired of hearing about traveling to other worlds. She needed time to think. Everyone wanted to push her into things. That made her all the more stubborn. She could not be forced to do something she was unsure of.
She left Tumnus's shop. There was the dress shop she had once frequented. She looked through the windows. The clothes seemed so practical and drab. No, she couldn't think like that. They were comfortable and respectable.
She walked on. She wondered if Achilles had eaten all of the food that was on the table by now. She hoped he would try to curb his appetite. She really must make certain he ate more lettuce. A guinea pig needs to eat its vegetables. She felt guilty for not taking better care of him and leaving him alone with such temptations.
She arrived back to her building. At least Sneed and Jadis wouldn't be there. She walked up the steps. The police were gone and the door to Sneed's apartment was shut. She thought of Jadis screaming for her to rescue her. She had to stop thinking of it. It was all so awful.
Finally she approached her door and took out her key. She unlocked it, walked in and was about to take off her coat when she looked up. There was Mrs. Rogers and a beautiful woman sitting on her sofa. The woman was putting dainty morsels in Achilles' mouth, as he sprawled across her lap.
"Hello Susan! I'm sorry it's been so long. I want to introduce you to Queen Rajiisa. She's come for a visit."