Ok, here's the next chapter. I would like to clarify that this is NOT a Mary Sue! Hope you like it!
"Honestly Iridessa! I knew you wouldn't do well, but…to get a D-minus? That is totally un-acceptable! High King Peter will most certainly hear about this!"
My heart sank as I heard Spindell's words. I'd most likely be condemned to the library forever when Peter heard about this! Oh why hadn't I studied more?
I cautiously glanced at Spindell. His face was the color of ripe tomatoes and his dark hair stuck out in various places. Add stumpy arms flailing about, and he looked every bit the part of an angry tutor.
"Um, maybe I could take the quiz again? Before Peter comes back?" I timidly asked, hoping against hope he would say yes.
"Absolutely not! You had your chance Iridessa! It's time you learned that studying is more important than swinging and such things." He replied, his eyes blazing.
I stared down at my feet and squirmed. I suppose that I should've studied more. It was just SO boring.
"I'm sorry Spindell….I should've studied more. It's just so hard to concentrate sometimes." I apologized.
Spindell's face paled a bit back to normal and he stopped flailing his arms.
"I accept your apology. I understand too, about not being able to concentrate. After all, just a month ago you woke from an enchanted sleep to find a whole bunch of different people in the place of people you had known and loved." He said, with a nod of satisfaction.
"I'd like you to study for the rest of the time before dinner. Here are the books I would like you to read. Read two chapters in each book. If you have more time after that, although I seriously doubt it, read another chapter in each book until your time is up." He instructed as he extracted three particularly thick, dusty books from a tall, ornate book shelf. He thumped them on the table and then left.
I sighed, grabbed a book and opened it. A cloud of dust puffed into my face. I coughed and shook my head. How old were these books anyway? Obviously they hadn't been used in years. I flipped the old, yellowed pages to the first chapter and began reading.
Finally! I had just finished reading and heard the dinner bell ring. I hurriedly shoved the heavy books onto their shelf and rushed out of the stuffy, hot library and down the spiraling stone steps towards the dining hall. The corridors were lit with flickering candles, for it was fall and it got darker earlier in the evening. The light danced on the walls like fairies dancing to a melody.
I arrived at the grand dining hall. It had a high, curved ceiling with gold, ornate trim. A golden chandelier with sweet smelling candles hung from the ceiling, casting light all around. A long, mahogany table with a gold-embroidered crimson silk tablecloth was in the middle of the room surrounded by matching mahogany chairs. They were padded with crimson velvet. Windows lined the long room with rich, velvet curtains tied back with golden rope. Swinging double doors at the back of the room led to a bright, bustling kitchen.
As I walked in, I frowned. Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy weren't back yet. They had said they expected to be back by dinner. Perhaps they had lost track of time and stopped at a village inn to eat. I shrugged. That was probably it. I sat down and began to eat the delicious food set before me.
There was a savory soup of vegetables and chicken along with fluffy, warm bread for the first course. Then, the main course, a huge, tender turkey with spiced stuffing roasted to perfection. And then my favorite course, dessert. It was a small, round chocolate cake topped with a sprig of mint. And, when I broke open the cake, a stream of steaming fudge sauce poured out onto the plate. Truly delicious!
I finished the cake and shoved my chair back. I got up and left the dining hall and headed towards my bedchambers. I planned on a quiet evening in my room, reading. When I arrived, I placed my hand on the lion head shaped door handle and pushed open my dark wood door. I stepped into my room and shut the door. I smiled. Other than my garden this was my favorite place in the castle.
Stone steps lined with plush rugs, led down to the main level of my bedchamber. In the middle, centered between two floor length windows, was my bed. It was a canopy bed with dark blue, gold-embroidered bedding. It was soft and silky with gold tassels hanging on the end. The windows were draped with dark blue curtains dripping with golden cord. Dark blue rugs with gold designs covered the floor. Directly across from my bed was a glowing fireplace. Circled around it were two comfy chairs. Alongside the fireplace were two ornately carved bookcases filled with volumes upon volumes of books. A door on the right led to my washroom. And, to the left of my bed sat a pretty vanity and my wardrobe.
From my wardrobe I selected a blue nightgown and my blue robe. I slipped them on and snuggled into a chair for an evening of reading.
A knock brought me out of my book.
"Come in!" I called in respond to the knock.
The door creaked open and Spindell stepped in. He bowed and said,
"Good evening, Your Highness. I'm sorry to disturb you but I was wondering if you have heard from the Kings and Queens?"
I raised my eyebrows, surprised.
"They haven't arrived back yet?"
"No…I thought you might have known something of their whereabouts. But it's obvious that you don't." He replied, a frown creasing his face.
"Perhaps they decided to camp for the night and then continue the hunt for the White Stag?"
"I doubt that. They would've informed the stable hands."
"Well…perhaps they just lost track of time. I'm sure they'll be here soon." I said confidently.
"I don't know. It's not like them to lose track of time. Especially Queen Susan." Spindell replied doubtfully.
"Spindell! You're such a pessimist! What other explanation could there be?" I cried, exasperated.
"Lots of others. Bad ones." He replied.
"I'm sure they're fine." I said with finality.
"You're probably right. I'd better go now. But, if they're not back by tomorrow I'm having you order a search party." With that Spindell left, closing the door firmly behind him.
I flopped onto my bed and blew air from my mouth. Nothing bad could've happened to them…right? For reassurance, I sent a quick prayer up to Aslan,
"Aslan, please be with Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. Protect them and bring them home safely."
With that final prayer, I fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.
"Your Highness!"
Spindell burst into my room flailing his arms and yelling at the top of his lungs, waking me up from a peaceful sleep.
I opened my bleary eyes and pushed my white and extremely long hair out of my face. I groaned and rolled over.
"What do you want? And why did you just burst into my room yelling? That's very rude of you!" I complained while untangling my legs from my covers and tumbling out of bed.
"I'm sorry, but you needed to be woken up anyway. It's eleven o' clock for goodness sakes! Anyway, the Kings and Queens haven't come back yet. Everyone is worried. You need to order a search party for them!" He cried all the while pacing back and forth and flailing his arms like a mad man.
"Look, before we can do anything you need to calm down! I'm sure you're making everyone stressed out. You're certainly stressing me out!" I snapped. Keep in mind that I had just woken up.
Spindell stopped flailing his arms and came to a stop in the middle of the room.
"I'm sorry, but having the Kings and Queens missing has greatly upset me." He apologized.
"That's obvious." I muttered under my breath.
"If you're done being disrespectful, would you please order a search party?" He retorted, a scowl shadowing his face.
"I will order a search party just as soon as I prepare myself for a ride. I will help with the search." I said firmly.
"Fine, but please hurry!" With that he scurried out of my room, probably to go exasperate some other poor person.
I went over to my wardrobe and selected a durable, yet elegant pale blue peasant dress and silver slippers to match. Then, I sat down to begin the unpleasant task of taming my long, white tresses into two braids.
I finally finished my hair and headed toward the stables. I arrived and scanned the spacious stable grounds for my stable hand, Clarion. I finally spotted his raven hair amidst the hustle and bustle of preparing the search party, and called to him. He looked up and threaded his way through the stable-yard towards me.
"Yes, Your Highness?" He inquired after bowing.
"Please prepare my horse, Adelane, for a ride. I will be joining the search party."
Clarion raised his eyebrows clearly surprised.
"You? You're going with the search party?"
"Yes, I am. So please go prepare Adelane for the ride." I replied firmly.
Clarion shrugged as if to say who was he to argue, and went into the stable to prepare Adelane. I followed him and waited impatiently for him to finish. Finally he walked out of Adelane's stall leading her with him. I quickly mounted into the side saddle and thanked him.
Then I was off, making sure to inform Brogan, the head of the search as to where I was going. I headed toward some thick woods keeping a sharp look out for anything out of the ordinary. I rode for what seemed a long while before I began to see signs of several horses along the path. Good, I was on the right track. I rode for a little while before the tracks abruptly stopped. I dismounted and spotted, to my astonishment, an old, vine-covered iron post with a light burning on top in the middle of a small clearing. I approached it and noticed some footprints beside it. Perhaps these were the footprints of the Kings and Queens?
I followed them a little way into the wood until I spotted something that confirmed that these were the footprints of Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. It was Queen Susan's gift from Father Christmas; her magical horn.
So there it is. Please review!:)