The two kings were on horses much earlier in the castle than their sister who was walking. Over time, she also regretted rejecting the horse because she was extremely exhausted. In some places she had to lean on the soldiers to keep from falling.
" Peter, Edmund!" Susan called as she noticed them from her balcony. She ran into the castle.
" They are back! They're alive! "She called." We won! "
There was a commotion in the castle. All the inhabitants of the castle, but also those who were hidden there, began to go out to welcome the winners.
The two rulers were too tired to say anything. They just got off their horses in the courtyard and waited for their sister to greet them.
Susan ran out of the castle and, seeing only two charged piles of misery and fatigue in front of her, ran to them with a big smile.
But something happened to them along the way. There are only two.
At that time, Ramon came to the courtyard and realized the same as his queen.
" Where is she?" She asked. Peter took a breath.
"She's walking with soldiers," he said wearily.
" Is she hurt?"
Edmund shook his head. "Not much."
" So why is she walking?" She frowned.
" Her horse was killed, she refused to take another."
" And why are you so sad? You won! "She smiled at them.
" Yes. But of the fifteen thousand soldiers, only nine thousand will return home, and we don't know if they will all survive. "
Lucy realized the same thing. She was among the last soldiers. It was clear to her that her brothers would be at the castle a long time ago, while they were just approaching the castle in the back.
The king is the first one who goes to battle first and the last one who leaves, it sounded in her head. She had heard it once among men who praised the bravery of her eldest brother.
As they entered the castle grounds, they were greeted along the streets by the people of Narnia. With a smile and tears. She understood them. Every battle will claim its victims.
" Lucy," she heard as she stepped through the wounded in the courtyard of the castle. She turned just as Susan went to hug her.
" Hi," she whispered into her hair, then pulled away. "You shouldn't lean too much on me. I'm all dirty."
Susan frowned and touched the younger sister's face gently with her finger. She stroked every bruise and scratch carefully.
" It doesn't look nice."
" I know. I probably look the worst of all the ladies in the world now, "Lucy laughed, but then became serious." I need a carafe to bring me out of the room. "
Susan nodded.
" I'll find Lasalen, you see who needs to be saved first," Lucy continued. Susan nodded again and went to work. She glanced at the servants. She noticed a familiar pinch of hair and wanted to walk to it.
" Queen," his quiet voice said. She turned on her heel. Her heart pounded wildly.
" Ramon," she smiled. "Come tonight. I have to go now."
Ramon nodded and walked away. She looked at him longingly for a moment.
Oh, how I look forward to hugging him.
But then she met Lasalene.
Although the army arrived in the morning because they had been marching all night, not all the wounded were still healed at dusk. Lucy ran from one to the other, and with each step she felt how exhausted she was. She only moved because she knew she could help the man.
Edmund and Peter had already left for their chambers, as had the soldiers who were not very wounded or not wounded at all. Susan helped for a while, but only until her brothers left. She went after them. Only she was chasing there like a jerk.
Gradually, it began to anger her. And as she dripped one drop into the last man's mouth, she closed the carafe and, with tears in her eyes, walked into her room.
She was exhausted. She was desperate. Not one fucking thank you. She no longer felt part of the team, but only as an ordinary maid.
Lasalene noticed that her queen had walked away. So she left her work with apology and went after her.
It was no surprise to her when she found her in the room, tormented with armor. She noticed that her hands were shaking. Her fingers were bloodied. She heard silent sobs coming from the queen's mouth. Although she did not know what had happened, she decided to remain silent. She just stepped forward and helped her undress. With each new layer of armor she folded, she saw Lucy crumble right in front of her. She didn't like it. No matter how long she came from the battle, she never looked like that.
And Lucy just stood quietly and sobbed.
" Shall I prepare your bath?" She asked quietly. Lucy shook her head. She knew she looked very bad, but she couldn't. She took a dip from the water on her bedside table.
" Thank you, Lasalene, but I will not take that. "
Lasalene nodded, wiping the most dirt and dried blood from her with wet cloth. Lucy got dressed in a nightgown.
They heard knock. Lasalene opened the door. There stood another servant.
" Your Highness, your royal siblings, invite you to a dinner that will be like a modest celebration of your victory."
" Her Majesty, Queen Lucy, is not in a mood to attend this dinner this time," Lasalene replied instead. The servant bowed and left. Lucy climbed onto the bed with quiet thanks.
" Lasalene, please stay close and don't let anyone in. I'm not in the mood for anyone. "
The maid nodded and let her queen rest. However, she did not see the tears falling from the queen's eyes and did not hear the silent prayers she said.
Dear Aslan, forgive me for going to battle. Stand by my side. I need you.
She woke up to a slight touch.
" You shouldn't be here," she heard her maid.
" I know, Lasalene, I know," said the only one she wanted to see today.
" If they find you here, it will be bad! Ramon, do you understand? They both drive us out of the castle. You know what Peter is like, "she said quietly, but furiously.
" Lasalene, please. Just a minute. I need to know she's really alive. That all the dreams I've had last night are not true. "
She heard the maid's sigh. Lucy didn't move. She didn't want to, and on the other hand, she likes to listen to such a conversation.
She felt her bed roll under his body weight.
" I undertand. I didn't have a good night's sleep either. You won't believe I was more worried about her than I did about Edmund, "she laughed." Especially after Aslan preached me to protect her. "
There was a moment of silence. Lucy fell asleep almost again.
" But I have to admit, she look terrible," she heard both of them still laugh softly, and then she was really asleep.
The sun tickled her nose. She smiled and wanted to reach out. But even with a small movement, her body remembered that she was in a four-day battle and sighed painfully.
Lucy frowned. Suddenly she didn't even enjoy the sun. With sighs, she rolled onto the bed and tried to get up. She yawned aloud and stretched as much as her broken body allowed.
There was no one in the room. She got up slowly and shuddered as her feet touched the cold stone. She took small steps and went out onto the balcony, looking out to sea. A fresh breeze blew from there, bringing with it a harsh day, but also the smell of a storm.
Over the years, she learned to observe the sea, as well as the smell of the wind.
" Good morning, sister," she heard her eldest brother's voice behind her.
" Good morning, Peter, what brings you to my chambers?" She smiled at him.
" I came to check on you when you didn't show up for dinner yesterday."
" Oh, yes," she frowned. "Since you left me to struggle there alone, I was exhausted and unable to come to you."
Although it was not originally her intention, her words sounded sharp and stabbed like a dagger. But, after all, she was satisfied with the tone of her voice.
" I know, Lucy, and I'm sorry. I didn't realize it until late. But I didn't come for that. I wanted to thank you for leading the Narnian army to victory. "
Lucy was surprised.
" Funny, really? Well, you're welcome, "she shrugged.
" Really, Lucy, we owe you one," he smiled at her. She walked closer to her brother.
" You'll be the hero with Edmund anyway," she blinked at him. Then she walked to the door and opened it.
" If you'll excuse me now, I'd like to get dressed."
Peter rolled his eyes and sighed.
" And otherwise," he began while he was at the door. "Prince Corin and his father will be here for lunch today. Dress decently. "
Before she could react, Peter evaporated. Rather. He knew how Lucy hated Corin, in fact he also did, after his last visit. But King Lune requested a visit.
He made a painful grimace as he heard the door slam and his sister's angry scream come from behind it.
" Why me ?!" sounded through the quiet corridors of the castle.
" Who's coming?" Edmund shouted. His voice jumped an octave higher in surprise.
" I know no one is excited about his visit, but we have to put up with him. Although he is the one who pointed at our sister, King Lune is our friend. And an ally, "Peter sighed.
Edmund sat at his brother's desk, working on possible expeditions north to check on the giants when Peter unpacked it out of nowhere.
Edmund paused and squeezed the bridge of his nose.
" Good. Fine. But I have only one request. Apart from the fact that I will have a sword with me at dinner, Ramon will stand at the door and keep a guard there. And whenever Lucy wants to leave, you'll release her, but on the condition that Ramon goes with her and the parkchant stays sitting on his filthy prince's ass so I can see him all the time! "
Edmund's eyes filled with pure anger.
" And why does Ramon have to be there?" He frowned. Although he saw fewer and fewer of them together, he still didn't like being in her presence.
" Because he has been her most confidential bodyguard for three years and I trust him as much as possible," he said a little calmer.
Although Peter didn't like to admit it, Edmund was right. Ramon guards their sister as if she were his personal jewel. And that's what she needs for her.
Um, but ...