Chapter 13

A Family Reunion

Its Aslan!" said Paravatia, happily. "He has come to aid us in our quest! Oh, Queen Susan, aren't you the least happy?!"

Susan couldn't truly express how happy she was. They continued their journey toward the castle. The trees didn't stur, nor did anymore wolves appear. It seems Aslan's warning had spread through the land of Devast quicker then a forest fire. But soon, Susan would meet her family and the Wizard has kept them captive for a year. She didn't know it, but had began to ran. She wasn't out of breath like she would had been back in your world, but able to ran and ran forever without getting tired. Paravatia followed close behind.

The journey to the gates of the castle weren't as long as one may think. Even though Susan and the Elf passed over cliffs, swamps, streams, and several miles of forest. It wasn't long for someone who could run forever and never get tired. But once they reached the gates of the castle, Susan and Paravatia came to halt, because the gates opened for them.

"Lets go Para. Can't turn back now." said Susan, stepping into the quad of the castle. The two oak doors opened for them and they passed through it. They entered a black marble entrance hall. Their footsteps echoed around the hall. It was lit by several candles which lined the walls. They seemed to dance happily on the black marble. But Susan's attention was soon taken by the seven thrones that sat at the far end of the hall, each one occupanied by a face Susan recognized. There was a throne which sat above the seven thrones.

"Peter! Edmund! Lucy! Eustace! Jill! Aunt Polly! Professor Digory!" shouted Susan, running forward. Paravatia, with a smile on her face, followed her. But just as Susan stopped, her smile faded.

Each one of them sat in their chair, sleeping soundlessly.

"Are they dead?" asked Susan.

"Sleeping, your Majesty." said the Elf.

"I shall wake them at once to make them get up." said Susan. She went over to Peter and tapped his shoulder. "Peter! Peter! Wake up this moment! Wake!" She was about to tap him again, when he grabbed her arm and his eyes shot open. His facial expression was unreadable and his face hollow, which held no expression. He released her and she stepped back to find the others awake as well. They all held the same expression as Peter.

"What is wrong with them?" asked Paravatia.

"Nothing is wrong," said Lucy, standing up from her throne. Her facial expression hadn't changed. "Welcome to Devast, Susan."

"Oh, Lucy," said Susan, hugging her sister. She had began to cry.

"Su's come back to Narnia." said Edmund, looking over at them from his throne. "I never thought I'd see the day."

"Oh, Edmund," said Susan, breaking the hug with Lucy and hugging Edmund. Eustace, Jill, Polly, and Digory rose from their thrones as well. Peter also got up.

"Now! We are together again! The eight friends of Narnia are back together!" he roared.

"Yes," said Susan, happily. "I've come to take you back to Narnia."

"Back?" said Polly. "Why ever would we want to go back?"

"Why on Earth would you want to remain here?" asked the Elf. "There isn't anything special about this place at all."

At that moment, Jill slapped the Elf.

"Don't you ever speak ill of Devast, arrogant Elf!" she said, fiercely.

"Jill!" said Susan, shocked. Jill had always been a nice, gentle girl, and never would Susan thought she would strike a good Narnian creature. Susan helped the Elf to her feet. "What is the matter with you?! All of you?!"

"Nothing, dear sister." said Peter. "We've had a senseable change, if you know what I mean."

"Its that Wizard!" said Susan, quickly. "He's poisoned you and your thoughts!"

"No one has done harm to us, Su." said Eustace.

"Nor would we allow it." said Digory. "We like it here in Devast and plan to stay."

"You've got to be kidding." said Susan. "Have you seen this place? Its monsterous! The trees are hideously evil and the wolves are evil as well."

"We've lived here for an entire year, Susan. All of that has suken in and we like it. We like evil." said Lucy.

"What about Aslan?" asked Susan, curiously, waiting for any sign of a reaction. But they all laughed. Not the merry laugh, but the same sinister laugh as the willows gave when Susan talked about the world outside of the realm of Devast.

"You can't honestly believe in Aslan, Su." said Peter. "He's not real. Just a fairy tale. Darkaan is what's real and true. He is the true power. Not Aslan as we thought."

"But, Aslan is real!" said Susan.

They laughed again.

"How you wish he were?" said Edmund. "Hail Darkaan! Our true leader!"

"Hail Darkaan! Our true leader!" the others said.

"No," said Susan. "This can't be."

Paravatia looked at each of them. She found her eyes on Lucy. Her eyes were so cold and not filled with the warmth and kindess Paravatia once knew. She shed a tear and at that moment, Lucy let out a terrible scream of pain. She grabbed her head and screamed her head off. Then she collasped on the floor and began to convulse.
"Lucy!" the others cried.

"Lu?" said Susan, terrified.

Paravatia snapped her fingers and everyone in the room stopped in their tracks, accept herself, Susan, and Lucy.

Lucy's face became more pleasant and less hollow. Her expressionless face, soon twisted into pain. She sat up and looked around.

"Oh, Susan!" said Lucy, standing up and embracing her sister. "I can't believe you came! Oh thank-you, Paravatia!"

"Wait, I'm confused." said Susan.

"Hail Aslan! By the Lion's Mane, Su, I thought you'd never come." said Lucy, breaking the hug.

"But you were, you were just--" began Susan.

"Evil," said Lucy.

Susan nodded.

"Well yes," said Lucy, "but Paravatia has freed me from the enchantment for a few moments to explain to you whats happened and how you must save us!"

"The enchantment shall only last for another ten minutes, your Majesty Queen Lucy." said Paravatia.

"Well, I must talk quickly and get you away from this castle before he comes." said Lucy, grabbing Susan's arm and leading her out of the entrance hall and through the oak doors. "My tale is a horrid one, Su."