I only own Jewel
"Be careful with that!"
Peter's strong voice rang out on the still morning air and two of the palace guards carrying the container with the high King's throne safely ensconced inside promptly stopped jostling each other and put both of their hands back on the litter. Peter exchanged an amused glance with his little sister before turning back to chat with some people. The King and Queen were on their horses wandering around and getting to know the subjects that were accompanying them to Cair Paravel.
It had been two weeks since they had taken back their country from Frewen, and this was the first time since that they had been even remotely relaxed.
The first thing they'd had to do was find out who in the castle grounds was willing to be loyal to them, especially the garrisons stationed within the grounds. As it turned out a surprising number of the soldiers were, three-quarters of them at least, and that had made the next stage of Edmund and Jewel's plan much easier. Like they'd told the rest of the original five companions earlier in their journey, Narnia had been taken over by bad guys far too often, the White Witch, Miraz, whatever had taken place in the hundreds of years after the end of the Golden Age and Miraz, and finally Frewen. It was time to put a stop to it once and for all, purify Narnia again.
The loyal soldiers and the Royal Four's entourage had swept through the entire palace compound, finding every living soul within the walls and bringing them to the main courtyard to listen to Peter's speech. It had been a very…stern…speech. After he'd finished the four of them had left the balcony and the audience had been left in the courtyard, unable to leave, left to mull over their options. Option one: accept the new rule, the soon to be re-enforced old laws, or there was option two: leave Narnia, never return unless it was with an open mind.
Three quarters of the castle's population decided to leave Narnia, but not without a few displays of force from Peter's impromptu army. It was about what the four had expected, this was Frewen's stronghold of course the majority would choose to follow him, he of course had also been banished.
The whole idea of that was to free Narnia of anyone who would have problems with the new/old regime. There were plenty of places for them to go were there weren't talking animals, the Lone Islands, Archenland, Calormen, and a multitude of other islands, all of which would welcome visitors, at least that's what the four were told. So it wasn't as though they were being too mean.
But the castle was only the beginning, the whole of Narnia was being 'purified', to use Conan's word, every stronghold, town, settlement, village hamlet, wandering caravan. It was a massive job, but Jewel and Edmund insisted they knew how to go about it.
The two of them had split off from the procession about an hour ago with a sizeable detachment of soldiers. Edmund had told his siblings that they would catch up with them at Cair Paravel at roughly ten o'clock, which translated into Edmund and Jewel time meant that they would arrive around about 3 o'clock the next morning. The two of them always found some reason to be late.
Colonel Grenat growled at the gathering of villagers before him. These ten lowlifes had to represent some of humanity's most despicable specimens. They had gone wild at the sight of a rather pretty nymph called Odessa. Okay so it he hadn't just blended the information into his brain immediately, but he hadn't immediately started reaching for rusty swords and pitchforks, not that he or any of the men under his command would have rusty swords, or ever fight with pitchforks, but that was beside the point.
"Are these all those that refused in the village Colonel?"
"Yes Your Majesty."
Majesty. He still couldn't get used to it. One of his ancestors had been a part of their original court, and the stories about them had been passed down through his family for the succeeding generations. But to see them in the flesh…it was unbelievable, at first at least, then it got gun when he was allowed to send some of those pathetic court pansies off to the border with a group of his men, the screams were still ringing in his ears.
But his ancestor had been part of the high King's personal staff, so although he knew something about the other four, not nearly as much, and Edmund and Jewel had been those most neglected when story telling time rolled around. But there they were, horses standing shoulder-to-shoulder, backs straight, heads held high, eyes cold as they looked at the cringing human being before them.
"Put them with the others, we've spent to much time here."
Everyone jumped to obey the young king and within two minutes the party was on the move again. Edmund and Jewel were at the front, with three large wagons lumbering behind them, the first one half full with the people they had picked up from the first few villages on their list.
Jewel and Edmund watched as the colonel marched off with the 'evacuees', a nice term for people who were essentially about to become homeless and countryless. But they had sent a messenger ahead to Archenland, so they would have somewhere to go. The messenger had family there who would sort out all the logistical details.
The two of them knew that this job was a humungous undertaking, and it would probably take years (luckily Narnia was quite sparsely populated), and judging from the people they'd come across so far not that many would have to leave the country. But still…it felt mean.
"Colonel."
The burly man left his men securing a wagon and walked over to the royals.
"Yes your majesty."
"I'm afraid we're going to have to leave you and your men to move on without us."
"We're already late as it is."
The three exchanged a few more words, and then the royals turned back the way they came. Galloping over grass and scrubland and through forests the guilt of what they had set in motion left them. This was what it was all for, clean land, untainted by bigotry and prejudice. The exiles would survive, but if that way of life had continued for many more generations Narnia wouldn't have. The magic animals would have died from being trapped in small pockets of the land, and not being able to gather enough food, and with their deaths, Narnia would also die.
They arrived back just before the sun set the next day, after swiftly changing from their crumpled travel clothes into simple but elegant attire, more suitable for a King and Queen in their palace.
A maid told them that their brother and sister were in Peter's rooms so they headed for the suite and found the High King and youngest Queen on the balcony, watching the setting sun.
"Is it started?"
"Yes."
Peter didn't turn around when he asked, and the only acknowledgement he made of Edmund's answer was a slight nod. And just like that they left the subject behind them, it would be broached again many times in the future, but for tonight the four let their minds wander to pleasanter topics.
They stood there in companionable silence for a while, all leaning on the beautifully carved stone balcony, elbows and shoulders pressed together.
"Will you miss her this time round?"
Jewel's question was quiet, barely louder than the soft breeze flying around them, but they all heard it. And although they didn't say anything, she could hear their confusion.
"Susan. Having her at the coronation and ruling with you. Won't you miss her?"
Her blue eyes were boring a hole in the balcony, studiously avoiding the others.
"I mean, she's your sister and last time you were ruling here she was at your side, I just came along later, don't you want her with you."
A few seconds of silence came before their answer:
"No."
"No."
"Absolutely not! You're a better queen than she ever was Jewel. I know she was a good friend to you and that you think of her as a sister, but she was never a true queen. Yes she was a good archer, and yes she fought when she had to, but only as an obligation. She could be downright insulting to visitors, palace staff and the commoners.
You get involved with the people, you knew every maid, cook, butler and child's name in Cair Paravel once, as well as the names of most of the animals, including children's toys. This time round is going to be even better that it was before, and it's going to be because if you."
Edmund ignored her stiffness as he pulled her into his arms, and the other two crowded around them, echoing his sentiments. Soon Jewel began to smile, and giggle hysterically when they started to tickle her.
It was long after the sunset that they finally left the balcony and headed off to their separate rooms. The warm air and gentle breeze could have persuaded them to stay out there all night, reminiscing over old times, but as Peter said they had a busy day tomorrow.
Peter and Lucy had spent the whole day planning, and so the coronation was due to take place the next day. To solidify in the minds of the Narnian people that they were back and they were being serious, not just four kids mucking about. Lucy described it perfectly as they all said goodnight:
"Narnia is ours again."
30 years on
"Father I honestly don't think this is a good idea."
Riant's eyes followed his father as the older man threw pillows around the room trying to find some piece of paper he thought was so terribly important, a green tasselled cushion almost hit his mother in the face as she walked in. Would have if she hadn't ducked quickly, and in a rather unqueen-like manner.
"Edmund what are you doing?"
"I'm trying to find…ah ha."
The King straightened suddenly, a piece of parchment flapping in his hand as he turned to face his wife an son.
"I'm fine, Riant however seems to be having premonitions."
The matter of the parchment settled he deposited himself on a divan and pulled on his riding boots."
"'Premonitions.' Riant what is he talking about?"
"I have a really bad feeling about this trip they're going on, and I still don't see why they're going in the first place."
Jewel agreed with her son, and admitted to having the same bad feeling, but although they voiced their concerns to her husband, and her brother and sister when they walked in, trying to find out what had delayed Edmund, the three siblings just shook it off.
"Don't worry Jewel. We'll bring your husband back by tomorrow morning, promise."
A soft smile and they were gone, leaving a Queen and prince behind them, hearts heavy.
It was at the banquet that night that the commotion began. It was the beginning of the renewal week celebrations, the anniversary of the final week of Jewel and Edmund's campaign.
Seventeen years ago to the day the last caravan of exiles had headed for the border, seven days later they had left the country, so the Kings and Queens had declared that entire week a national holiday, with feasts and dances, merriment presiding over the whole land.
Her Majesty Queen Jewel was being uncharacteristically quiet this evening, usually she was the life of the party, no one was beneath her notice, rich nobles from foreign lands or the usually ignored maid with an unfortunate figure. But tonight she kept to herself, leaving her son to carry the conversation, although he didn't seem to be much more animated than his mother. It was just as the desert course was being served that it happened.
The Queen had a seizure, collapsing off of her seat and onto the floor a space was cleared around her as her son and the palace physician rushed to her side. There was nothing they could do except hold her still so they each took hold of an arm while two more guests grabbed her flailing legs, trying to stop her from hurting herself.
Ladies were screaming, gentleman were exclaiming, servants were whispering prayers to help their mistress, and during all the commotion no one noticed the large lion pad into the hall, or the large tear glistening in his eye. He managed to get all the way to the ring surrounding her without being noticed, even though he was pushing people out of the way. It wasn't until silence fell that anyone notice him, but he wasn't the reason for the deathly quite.
Jewel was no longer the forty-something queen they knew, her hair was longer and free from the few elegant grey streaks that had been threaded through the ebony strands, her slightly full figure had slimmed back to that of a young girl, faintly wrinkled and sagging skin had tightened and darkened with a summer tan.
Seconds after the silence her eyes opened, younger than they had been, but still as full of wisdom. The first thing she saw was Aslan, and that's when she dissolved into tears, wrapping herself into her bewildered sons arms.
"You promised me Aslan. You promised me we wouldn't be separated again."
"We're lost."
"We're not lost."
Lucy slumped over in her saddle; her two brothers had been repeating the same thing for over two hours, Peter insisting that they weren't lost, Edmund insisting that they were. Of course he was absolutely right. But it wasn't Peter's fault, she'd swear on her life that the village they'd been visiting had a shaman, and that the shaman had done something to them to send them in this direction. And that the shaman looked suspiciously like Aslan, or rather didn't look like Aslan, but felt like Aslan. Why he would want them to get lost she didn't know, but she knew it was Aslan, and if he did it then there must be a good purpose behind it…right?
"Edmund will you be quiet. We just have to go through this thicket and we'll be back on the main road, a days ride from Cair Paravel."
That said the High King ignored the looks his younger siblings shared and pushed on, swiftly followed by the others, then they froze, they weren't in the forest anymore, weren't on the road, they were on an English railway platform.
The platform was a hive of activity, goodbyes were being said, and trains were pulling out of the platform, their horses were gone, and so were their Narnian clothes, instead they were back in their normal travelling clothes that they'd had on that day.
They were back in the normal world, without Jewel.
"Aslan you promised me. I honestly didn't think you'd make me go through this again."
The Queen, her son and the lion had returned to their rooms and she was wrapped in a bathrobe, Riant standing behind her protectively. The lion was standing in front of her, large eyes seeing through her soul.
"Jewel are you certain about this. Narnia is your home by birth, your son is here, are you ready to leave all this behind."
"Riant has been prepared for this since he was thirteen, he deserves a chance to be King, and I deserve to live a normal life with my husband and my family, not having to live with the knowledge that one day they're going to be ripped away from me. I can't take any more centuries alone, I can't! And you promised me wouldn't have to."
Her blue eyes were pleading, and identical blue orbs in a rugged face were also begging the lion to honour his promise. Riant loved his mother more than life itself, he adored his family, but his mother was the centre of his world, something about her was different to the rest of his family. He didn't want her to leave, but he wanted her to be happy, and being with his father in this other world would make her happy. She had told him that this might be a possibility when he was thirteen, the last time Aslan had visited and had made this promise. He had to honour it; he couldn't stand seeing his mother this broken.
"It shall be as you wish Jewel. Again I can only say how truly sorry I am that you had to live all those years alone."
"I know."
Standing Jewel wrapped her son in a fierce hug, laughing to herself about how she appeared so much younger than her baby boy, not that he ever let her call him that anymore.
"I love you Riant. Never forget that. I love you so much."
She was crying when they parted, and although the tough prince would never admit it, so was he. Impulsively Jewel threw her arms around Aslan, burying her face in his mane. The first sign of complete affection she had shown him since their reunion thirty years ago.
"Send me home Aslan, send me back to my family."
"As you wish."
Soft light surrounded Aslan and Jewel, then they were gone and Riant was left alone. King of Narnia.
"This can't be happening! We have to find a way to get back, we can't leave her alone again."
Edmund was panicked, head buried in his hands as he ranted, tears falling. Lucy was stroking his back as Peter glared at any onlookers.
"We can't get back Edmund, there's no way except for when Aslan wants us there and…"
"Oh you're not talking about Aslan again are you Lucy. Honestly. It was a good game while we were younger, but don't you think you're a bit old for it. And Edmund what is the matter with you, can you please stop making a scene, people are looking."
Susan. There she was, as perfectly made up as ever, the image of the fashionable young lady. Her siblings hated it. Lucy wanted to yell at her, wanted to shout how Narnia wasn't a game, wanted to make her leave Edmund alone, any fool could see he was distraught, she could see Edmund was ready to let fly too, but neither of them got a chance:
"Shut up Susan."
The soft voice broke into their quartet, and four sets of eyes swung to see who the intruder was.
It was a girl; maybe sixteen years old, soft ebony hair fell to her waist, a matching skirt and jacket of soft grey with an emerald shirt and grey heeled shoes. But no difference in clothing could disguise the beautiful sapphire eyes, the ivory skin, the statuesque build. Lucy and Peter were just processing the knowledge, and Susan was still confused, when Edmund stalked over to the girl and picked her up and spun her around, both of them laughing delightedly before he pulled her into a light hug and didn't seem to have any inclination to ever let her go.
THE END
silver-star-0: glad you liked it.
tHe vOiCe WiThIn: Edmund was always my favourite character out of the four, really please you like my story, hope you liked the ending.
HottStuffMelv: hope you liked the final update.
leftwinfer445: pleased you like it.
This is the end of Forgotten Jewel; I hope everyone enjoyed reading it.
