At that moment, a bright light shone through the darkness. It took them a while to understand what was happening, but after that they immediately fell to the ground.
" Aslan," Lucy said to the big lion.
" Lucy, dear daughter," he said sadly. Lucy frowned.
" Aslan, what's going on?"
"The fruit itself from hell came to this island, germinated, and this tree grew out of it. You must get rid of it. If it blooms, its seed will blow the wind all over the world and evil will flourish everywhere. No one will help Narnia."
" I'll do anything, Aslan," she said.
" It won't be easy, dear," he said, stepping back. An ax lay beside him. Lucy walked over to him and picked up the ax. "Remember, Lucy, this island is your heart."
She frowned because she didn't understand. She approached the tree and hesitated for a moment.
" Don't waste time, the tree will start to bloom at dawn," Aslan warned her.
She turned away.
What Aslan thought was the moment the ax first clenched into a tree trunk. A wave of pain passed through her body and she cried out.
" Lucy!" The two men shouted at the same time and ran to her. An ax was lay on the ground near her.
" What's going on, Aslan?" Edmund called.
" When Lucy swore to protect Falimath, it connected with her heart. Felimath blooms when Lucy is happy, although it can be frosty. It rains here when she's sad, even when it's fruit that came here grew in this soil, it grew in your heart. You have to cut it from your heart. "
"Aslan, isn't it possible otherwise?" He asked desperately. The lion just shook his head.
Lucy took a breath and stood up.
" I have to do it."
She picked up the ax again and cut it back into the tree. She slumped to the ground again.
" I can't do it," she cried.
The men looked at each other. Ramon wrapped her arms tightly around her shoulders. Edmund stood up and took the ax.
" I'm sorry, Lucy," he looked at her sadly. Then he looked at Aslan.
" Hurry up, the sun will rise soon."
Edmund cut down the tree, trying to ignore his sister's painful cries, Ramon held her and whispered her reassuring words.
He had seen many people suffer and scream in pain, but now he himself suffered. He felt Lucy's muscles weaken, her screams grow quieter, until she remained silent and only the hacking of an ax could be heard.
He hid his face in her hair and wept softly, praying to Aslan, who was standing next to him, so that she would not be as dead as she looked.
He heard the crackling of wood. He raised his head at the moment the tree fell to the ground. Edmund immediately threw away ax and ran toward them.
" Lucy," he whispered to her. She didn't react. He stroked her cheek, her forehead, shook her.
" Aslan!" He exclaimed in panic. "She's not breathing!"
The lion stepped closer.
" Let her sleep," he whispered.
Ramon laid her on the ground.
" She's dead," came the question in Ramon's words.
" She's not dead, she's just asleep," Aslan said softly. He sat down next to the men and looked on the east.
" Oh, how far is her soul from my land," he said after a moment's silence. Ramon turned to him.
" Is your country at the east?"
" Yes, but no one who gets into it will come back."
" So Lucy," Edmund began quietly, but the lion cut him off.
" The sun is rising."
The sky was getting paler and paler. At first, the country was black. Then gray.
When there was enough light, Ramon and Edmund realized that there was no more ashes around them, but they were sitting on the green grass. They jumped up in surprise.
They watched as the greenery slowly spread across the island. It was as if it were drawing from where Lucy lay.
The sun swayed across the horizon, and they noticed that Lucy was breathing.
" Luce," Edmund whispered, kneeling beside her. Aslan stood and pressed a large lion´s kiss to her forehead.
" She is still asleep. Take her to the ship. He needs to rest. He's having a hard fight. "
Aslan turned away as if to leave, but then turned back to the men.
" Thank you for helping her save herself."
And then he disappeared. As fast as he came, so fast he left.
The men on the ship were already very nervous. It dawned on the morning of the third day since the captain had landed them on the island. Some men wanted to go check the island to see if they were okay at all.
" Something's going on!" called one of the sailors. The men ran aboard and saw what he meant. They stared at the black scorched island for two days, but now they could see the island gradually turn green. Suddenly a strong wind rose and carried all the dust with it to the distant seas.
Although they did not know what had happened on the island, they felt that the trio they had landed had won. Joyful and glorious shouts echoed on board.
In the afternoon, the boat was launched and the captain went ashore again. He didn't wait long and saw two men coming down from the hills by the shore.
He wanted to congratulate them, run to them, and shake their hand, but at that moment he saw Edmund carrying Lucy in his arms.
" Your Majesty?" He asked as they stepped closer.
" She's tired," Ramon said simply.
There was silence all the way to the ship. Even the sailors, when they saw what was happening, just stood quietly and let the three of them go to Lucy's cabin without a word.
Edmund laid his sister on the bed and covered her properly.
" I'll stay with her," Ramon said. Edmund nodded wearily and went aboard. The captain of the ship was waiting for him.
" Captain," he nodded.
" During your absence, I took the liberty of sending people to Narrowhaven, both with a reference for the governor and for replenishment. The ship is ready to sail as soon as you command it."
He exhaled in relief.
" Let's go home, Captain," he nodded and headed for his cabin.
" Raise the sails! We're sailing! "
Edmund stood on the bow, contemplating the events of the previous days. They sailed for two days.
" Your Majesty," Ramon said. "Queen Lucy is already awake, she has even eaten."
Edmund did not respond. Under other circumstances, he would run to her and hug her. But he felt he could no longer look into her eyes.
" Your Majesty?"
Ramon approached him and put his hand on his shoulder.
"I do not deserve the title of king, especially not the Just," he said, frowning.
" What are you talking about?"
" I judge people, I decide their lives when they commit a serious act, but who will judge me?"
" Sir, you're blaming yourself too much," he said so boldly that Edmund looked at him in surprise.
" The Queen has forgiven you. She never told you it was your fault. If she thought so, she would shout it to you, but she kept it a secret for so long just so she wouldn't hurt you. She loves you more than anyone else. Yes, she realizes it's your fault, but she never blamed you. She loves you and she forgave you. "
There was a long moment of silence between the men, interupting only by the waves crashing into the ship and the creaking of the wood.
" Now, sorry for the expression, you should move your royal ass and go to your sister because she wants to see you," he raised an eyebrow. Edmund stared at him in surprise for a moment, then smiled.
" Is that how you talk to Lucy?"
" What do you think, sir?"
" Rude, boldly ... like a peer."
" Sir, forgive my audacity if I insult you. But you may be right. "
" I'm starting to like you," Edmund patted him on the shoulder. "I see how you messed up my sister's head."
And he let him stand there, a little confused.
It had been a laugh in Lucy's cabin for a while. Edmund sat on her bed while Lucy described her lessons with the teachers. They didn't know how the topic came about, but neither of them wanted to think about what had happened.
" I haven't had fun like this in a long time," she laughed as she collapsed on the bed.
" How is it possible that you are so carefree?" He asked incomprehensibly, but with a smile on his face. He was happy that she cheerful. This Lucy no one had seen in a long time.
" Aslan told me many things," she sighed contentedly.
" When? You haven't talked to him in a long time. "
" Not on Felimath, but he visited me in a dream."
" What did he tell you?"
" That you saved Narnia, that things are going in the right direction, and that we still have great adventures that we might not even dream of. He promised me to see him later. "
" Really? When?"
" He said he would come to see me soon, but I supposed not to expect him, he will send the invitation himself."
" I am just happy. Are you looking forward to going home? "He asked curiously.
" A little," she said, shrugging.
" Just a little? What's wrong with you? Aren't you sick? "He muttered, placing a hand on her forehead.
" Edmund!" She laughed and withdrew his hand. Her face grew serious.
" What's going on?"
She was silent for a moment.
" You learned ... certain things during this voyage, and I don't know how it will continue after returning to Narnia."
" You mean Ramon, don't you?"
She nodded. Edmund smiled.
" I don't know what's going on in the man's head, but I don't think you'll notice the fundamental difference there at worst."
" How can you be sure?"
" Was he here when you woke up? He was. And he's been here since we put you in that bed. He didn't even move away from you. "
" Of course, he's my bodyguard," she rolled her eyes.
Before Edmund could object, he heard an alarm bell ring on the deck.
He and Lucy ran aboard. From the starboard side, a small but fast ship rushed at them.
" Grab your swords!" Edmund shouted. "We have a little duel with the pirates ahead of us."
" Oh, brother, I guess we'll have some fun today," she told to her brother, then turned to Ramon. "Ramon, sword!"
The pirates were still quite far away, but their light ship was approaching at breakneck speed. Lesath was a large, cumbersome ship. It was not equipped for naval battles, it was a representative ship. It was Lucy's ship that everyone knew about. Even pirates. So far, it has been difficult to recharge, because it has always had the best fighters on it. But now there are few of them. Barely thirty sailors.
The pirates were close, saw their smirks, a few more meters, and began to jump on Lesath. Lucy became nervous because Ramon still hadn't returned with her sword.
" Archers in position!" Edmund commanded.
" Lucy!" she heard Ramon in the moment Edmund called Fire! and Ramon threw a sword to her and drew his own.