A/N: Good evening, fellow readers and reviewers x I have naught to say, except this: the loose threads in this story, the mystery, are slowly coming together! I simply hope you are with me on this journey x Read on!
Soundtracks:
Two Swords – Ramin Djawadi
Goodbye Brother – Ramin Djawadi
Ode to the Fallen – Adrian von Ziegler
By the time the Narnian court held Drinian's funeral ceremony, snow fell heavily in Narnia. Along with the cold of the falling flakes, they all felt the chill of sadness heavy in their hearts too, those who knew the Captain.
On the very day of his funeral service, it rained. Thunderclouds roared in the distance, and despite the less than pleasant weather, many of the townsfolk- and citizens had turned up outside court to join the walk down to the harbour with raised torches.
Caspian had everything organized in such a way that Drinian would get the proper departing from this realm. He could almost hear him as he rode Destrier in the front of the never-ending line of people joining him and the Pevensies to honour the Old Captain's would-be last wishes:
"I don't want a sad burial, where the maggots and critters are free to feed of my carcass. Nay, I was born on the sea, and that's where I'm going once my time's up," Drinian had once stated, not too long ago, in fact. Both Edmund and Lucy had heard him say this, moments before facing the dreadful sea serpent on the Dawn Treader.
Caspian's horse was surrounded by soldiers, two of them riding at either side of him, two by his front, and two behind his horse at the sides, a precaution made to prevent another assassination. Behind him rode Peter and Susan, with Edmund and Lucy behind their older siblings. Six guards carried Drinian's stretcher, along with the two minotaurs Tavros and Jemain. Around Drinian's peaceful-looking body lay wreaths of flowers, items of gold, and by his sides, both khopesh that had belonged to the minotaurs. The First Mate had tears in his eyes, and they both walked with their heads down in sorrow. They had given up their weapons, for the weapons had served Drinian, and no one else but him.
As they rode on, wails from the people could be heard, along with the threatening thunder from afar. Drinian left behind a wife and a young daughter of 14, both walking behind his stretcher, grief streaming down their cheeks along with the heavy droplets falling from the sky.
As they rode down the streets of the city, Caspian's head were not in the moment. His head lingered back on the interrogation of the man that had killed Drinian.
"You will not be able to stop her… She's too strong," the man had spoken through gritted teeth as he sat chained to the floor.
"Who?" Peter had asked.
"Talulah. She is here already, don't you see? She will give you the end, and if you don't realize that, your world will go down quicker than you think…" The man said between gasps. The smell of fire and fumes started to infiltrate the noses of Caspian, Edmund and Peter.
"You better tell us more, or we will kill you ourselves." Edmund said, his face hard. He knew the man didn't have much time, as the smell was very familiar.
"She's here to claim what is rightfully hers after the death of the White Witch. Having you four here, it will not be easy for her, but, it is not impossible. She will be the undoing of this land, your majesties. I suggest you return whence you came." The man said, now coughing slightly.
"That is not an option," Peter replied sternly. There was no way they would abandon Narnia in her time of need.
"Then you have little chance of victory. The pieces of her undoing are hidden away in this world, and by the time you find them, it will be too late."
The man sniggered, looked at them with grey, dead eyes, before flames, conjured from nowhere, licked upwards his skin and flesh, engulfing him in fumes and heat.
The Pevensies quickly left the room to escape the fire and smoke, and once they threw a look back into the room after the smoke subsided, they were not surprised to find his bones left charred on the floor. This Talulah-character had claimed him, as she had with Saralynn. They now knew this was the price her lackeys had to pay for betraying her. This was as much information they would get, and now they had to make a plan of action, lest it would be too late.
. . .
Once at the harbour, the royals, Drinian's closest friends in life and his family began to prepare his pyre for descension to the sea. His wife wept silently as she stroked his cheek one last time, and his daughter struggled to let her father's hands that were holding his sword go, crying as she held on to his cold hands. Her mother pulled her daughter back as they wept together in silence.
"Goodbye, my love…" his wife whispered before nodding towards the royals that were standing on the end of the dock, facing the people. It was a sea of torches around them, and it touched Caspian's heart to know that Drinian had so many people in his life and would come to take part on his last journey into the next world.
The very people who carried his stretcher placed in into the boat that would take him out on the sea. Pushing the fleet out, Drinian had finally left this world, and lay peacefully on his forever-bed, sword in his hand, eyes closed to rest.
The people watched the fleet drift away for some time, and the Pevensies gathered around the lit beacon, their bows and arrow at hand. Caspian had Peter and Susan on his sides, with Edmund and Lucy furthest out.
Lighting the arrow tips from the flames of the beacon, they made ready to light the pyre. Drawing back, the five royals released their flaming arrows and watched as they struck Drinian's fleet, setting it slowly ablaze.
The ritual was complete, and it was time for Caspian to say his last words as the duty of High King and Drinian's closest friend in life:
"May the Dryads welcome you,
And lead you through Aslan's great fields of green,
May they sing your name with love & fury,
So that we might hear it rise from the depths of Aslan's Country,
And know that you've taken your rightful place at the table where all true Narnians sit,
For a great man has fallen; a warrior, a Captain, a father…. A friend…"
Caspian's words reached out far into the crowds and made all teary-eyed folk silent. The rain fell like a monsoon, and thunder roared in the distance. A thick mist lingered in the distance, and hid the snowclad mountains surrounding them, reminding all that snow would again fall over Narnia.
Caspian turned back to watch the pyre on the sea, now engulfed in flames.
"I'm sorry, my friend…" he murmured, grief overtaking his heart. If he couldn't protect his friends, how could he ever protect the Kingdom?
The High King did not heed mind over the people that left to go on with their day. Even Drinian's wife and child left the harbour with two guards at their sides to escort them back as they wept.
Edmund hugged Lucy to his side as tears fell down her rosy cheeks, whilst Peter and Susan stood by Caspian's side as they mourned.
Life would go on, like it always did… But the Pevensies allowed themselves to stand by and grief their loss, curse the reason why it happened, and pessimistically wonder why it would all come to this; death… Death of the land, death of the people closest to them…
Susan, Lucy and Edmund stood by the horses, who hung with low heads in the rain, and were ready to mount and go back to the feast, a memorial they would hold in honour of Drinian.
Peter came to collect Caspian, who was still stood by the harbour with his thoughts, watching the remnants of the pyre.
"Caspian?" Peter called gently. The Seafaring King was torn from his pondering, and he turned to become aware that much time had passed, and that they were ready to leave. There was nothing left for them here, now.
"Yes, let us go," Caspian confirmed. With one last look at the dying fires on the sea, he joined his friends…. Family… on the ride back to the castle.
A/N: I decided to split this chapter in two, as it otherwise would become too long, and so, difficult to name.
I hope you enjoyed this (short) chapter, and I am still feeling sad for killing Drinian, by the way. But I hope the message it brings will make up for it
I will update soon!
Until next time,
Dragon
