She sat quietly by the huge wooden door leading to the banquet hall, which had now turned into a battlefield. Although she was not inside, she could imagine all her siblings, the major generals, and the dukes of Archerland and Telmar standing around a long table over a hand-drawn map.
They have been arguing since the evening about who will attack from which side, how many soldiers to place. She didn't quite understand it, but she understood that it looked like a suicide mission.
And what awaits me? The indefinite time that I will spend here alone with the servants and I will continue my education.
" Lucy," the fifteen-year-old sister's voice tore her from her thoughts. "What are you doing here?"
She was silent. She knew she should have been in her room for a long time and slept, but instead she listened outside the banquet hall.
"You were spying," she said. She nodded. Susan sighed and sat down next to her. She leaned her head against the wall and stared for a moment at the high ceiling, which was barely visible in the darkness.
" Aren't you afraid to sit here in the dark?" She asked.
" What?" She frowned. She thought he would scold her for spying and send her into the room, but she asked this.
" Well, you know. Cair Paravel is so huge. Every corner in it looks majestic until the sun goes down. Suddenly it's too dark here and I feel as if danger lurks from every dark place. I'm afraid with my escort, and you're sitting here alone. "
" I'm not afraid, Susan. Darkness is the smallest evil to be feared. In fact, in every dark corner, there is good hidden. Even the light is sometimes hidden. Like Aslan, he left to hide three years ago so he could come back in the light. But he left us a lot of himself here. "
She smiled at the idea of a big lion. He missed him.
" Your faith inspires me a lot," she said quietly. She looked at her. "What good do you see in this huge hall?"
She looked around.
" Look into the darkest corner, where no light falls. There's armor. Women's armor that will one day be mine. For now, he's just standing there in the dark because his time hasn't come. Because it's still dark for him. Just like for me. But one day, I believe, it will shine in the morning, when I will touch it, when I will put it on. "
Susan laughed.
" I've been waiting for everything, but definitely not that you're looking forward to wearing armor." She laughed.
" And what? I also long to help in the fight. "
" You know well ..."
" Yes, I know, I'm too small, I can't fight yet, you can't let me on the battlefield, I know. Peter explained it to me ... he explained it very thoroughly to me. "
There was a moment of silence. Each has seemed to be immersed in its own thoughts. One question pressed on Lucy's tongue that had bothered her for a long time.
" Susan ..."
" Yes, Lucy,"
" Why haven't I learned to shoot a bow yet? Why does Edmund teach me with a sword and a dagger? "
" You haven't let go of your dagger since we defeated the White Witch. Don't tell me you missed it. Just like me my bow and Peter swords. Each of us will first learn to do with what he received as a gift from Father Christmas. "
" But then he told you not to get involved in fights, that it's ugly."
" And he told you what?" She laughed heartily.
" That I shouldn't get involved in the fighting either," she said embarrassed. Susan seemed to be listening to the voices behind the door for a moment.
" Come on, Lucy, this is no longer for a lady's ears. We will go to my room. "
" Is that because you don't want to go to the south wing alone?"
She laughed, stood up, and helped Lucy as well.
" I'll tell you a secret," she whispered. "You're right. You're the braver one."
They talked late into the night. About everything. About clothes, about men.
Lucy was a little jealous of her sister. Susan was already mature, infinitely beautiful, men were literally fighting for her. There was no month in which she would not receive at least three offers of marriage. Lucy, on the other hand, was still small, too childish, too undeveloped, no one was interested in her.
But then somehow her head started to drop. She was already tired, and tomorrow began in the most boring way possible, by learning the history of Narnia in the library.
" Sis, I'm going to my room," she said quietly, getting up.
" Good. Be careful along the way. Good night, Lucy, "Susan smiled at her.
She walked slowly through the castle. He was unusually quiet. Her footsteps were the only sound that accompanied her.
She stopped and smiled. She always wanted to dance barefoot in the middle of the night castle.
Behave like a queen, not like a little girl, her sister's words sounded in her ears. But in Lucy, her cheerful and untamed side always won.
She took off her shoes and felt a chill under her feet. She took the shoes in her hands and closed her eyes. She imagined fauns and forest dryades playing one of the hilarious Narnia songs at her birthday party. She let herself be carried away by the melody.
She danced, jumped, a smile played on her lips. Hearty, cheerful. She didn't think about what awaited her and Narnia for the next few days.
She stopped as she finished the song in her head. She got on to the east wing of the castle. She stood by the window in the hallway and looked out at the sea. Looking at the beach, she was driven by the desire to run at the beach. But it was too crazy an idea. She is certainly safe in the castle, but not behind the walls in the middle of the night. Although located in peaceful Narnia.
She touched cold glass with her fingertips.
" For a moment I thought you were crazy, Your Majesty."
Lucy pulled away. She was so frightened.
" Ramon!" She called to one of the guards. "You scared me!"
" I'm sorry, Your Highness, I didn't expect you to be so deep in your dream," he laughed.
" It's not funny at all, Ramon. I thought you were all on guard outside. "
" I was, but your royal sister called me to take you to your room."
" How much of all have you seen?" She asked quietly.
" I can lie to you for your convenience and tell you that I only came across you now," he winked at her.
Lucy blushed sharply and bowed her head. Ramon was a handsome young constable. He was four years older than Lucy. Tall, with eyes as deep as oceans. Lucy just couldn't help but always get nervous in his presence. But she was absolutely certain that Ramon would only look at her as his queen. Even though she wasn't sure about it.
" I'm sorry, Ramon, you must have seen it. Now, if you'll excuse me, my room is on the other side of this corridor. I can handle it now. Thank you, "she said with her head held high and walked towards the door.
" Oh, no, no, no, Your Highness. I was given the task of bringing you safely to your room and I will fulfill my task, "he smiled and joined Lucy.
On the other hand, Lucy was tiny compared to everyone, maybe Ramon wasn't that tall, she thought.
" Okay, Ramon, but what if someone grabs me in my room?" She raised an eyebrow as they were at the door of her room.
" I think you'd scream in that case."
" And if they stopped my mouth and kidnapped me quietly?"
" In that case, I would go looking for you, Queen Lucy, to the very end of the world. Not a single country would be traversed from north to south, from west to east, not a single island would be besieged, I would not leave a single grain of sand in the desert in place, not a single wave in the sea would be heard until I found you. . "
Lucy stared at the officer for a moment, her mouth open. Her heart began to pound. But then, like a cold shower, the image of her sister, who sent Ramon after her, enveloped her. She shook her head to clear her of the nonsensical feeling.
" Of course, you'll do everything you can to keep my sister Susan's orders. Thank you for escorting, good night now, Ramon, "she said so coldly that she didn't even wonder about herself.
" Good night, Your Highness."
As she walked around the balcony in her nightgown, she stopped for a chest with an emerald green pillow and a silver crown on it. She touched her fingertips and looked out at the sea, which reflected the moon.
Let that day come.
All plans changed when Rabdash's messenger knocked on the gates in the morning, with the news that the son of the ruler- s tisroc-Calormen, Rabadash, would come the next day. No one knew why he was coming, they didn't know what to expect from him, but they knew they couldn't postpone the war with the giants.
In the morning, Lucy's lesson of history was abolished, and instead all the rulers sat on their thrones in the coronation hall, to which Peter called the army, servants, and subjects.
" As you well know, our country must undertake a military expedition to the north. Although the Telmar soldiers, as well as the soldiers from Archerland, will help us a lot in it, we have to leave a lot of soldiers here at Cair Paravel Castle, because this morning the messenger from Tashbaan announced to us tomorrow the visit of his tisroc's son Rabadash. His messenger did not want to tell us the purpose of his visit, so in addition to Queen Lucy, Queen Susan and King Edmund will remain at the castle. I myself will lead the army to the north, where a cruel fight will await us, but with Aslan's help, the fight will be won. We must not lift the guard from either the north or the south. "
There was a surprised silence in the hall.
" I will now ask the servants to return to work, thank you for listening to me. Also, to leave my beloved sisters and subjects. Only soldiers and my brother Edmund will remain. "
Lucy and Susan exchanged frightened glances. Whatever happens, it's not good.