July, 1014

The sun blazed on my tanned back as I stood on the ship's deck. My scandalously loose hair whipped around my face as I tilted my face towards the heat. Squinting, I could make out the two cross scimitars belonging to the Calormen flag fluttering in the wind. It was a majestic sight at sea with half a dozen ships pointed towards Narnia. The feeling of contentment that soared through me that day would haunt me for the rest of my life; it was the last moment that was ever serene for me, and anything that meant anything at all was perfect in my mind.

That moment was the moment before the sailor cried, "Land in sight!" and the cry was picked up in the other ships. I knew it was the start of something new, a new adventure that was calling my name. And I was just on the brink of it.

Several dignitaries, who I had entertained with during our journey, came to the side of the ship. We all observed what the lookout had seen; a shimmering shore of sand, and lingering in the sunset, the marvelous castle of Cair Paravel. It looked magnificent with the hues of purple and pink surrounding it in the sky. So surreal.

It was another two hours before we were to officially arrived, so I convinced one of my female companions to play a game of chess with me. We ordered one of the veiled slaves to set out the board and chairs, and wine was poured in silver goblets. My companion was a daughter of an influential Tarkaan. Her name was Avanaleen, and already married to an old Calormen at least twice her age. I pitied her, which was probably why I invested so much time and effort to build our relationship. She surprised me by knowing a great deal about the Narnian court.

"The kings rule with their sisters, although none of them are married," she said, and moved her pawn three marks ahead. I moved my bishop, capturing her pawn and claiming it. She sighed, and moved her knight.

"Are they in love with each other?" I asked, naively not knowing anything about the Narnian customs of marriage, or love. In Calormen it was a natural thing, but I knew my father would be appalled if he ever heard of siblings bearing children together. Even I thought the idea unnerving. Avanleen laughed, and moved a piece.

"That would be near treason if any of their subjects heard you say such things. No, they have not loved or courted any maiden or lord. I think," she lowered her voice as she moved her knight again, "that our prince, Prince Rabadash hopes to win the heart of one of their queens."

I stared at her, my mouth slightly open.

"A white princess for Calormen?" I whispered, "Surely the Tisroc (may he live forever, I added quickly) would protest to such an idea." Avanleen shook her head.

"The Tisroc, may he live forever, has had his eye on Narnia ever since the Narnian coronation. I have heard that they are a weak country," she said.

"But they conquered a sorceress, a witch!" I muttered, lowering my voice even further as two male slaves walked by. I wasn't so naïve to know that even during a travel such as this that spies weren't running about in places least expected. Any sort of talk could easily be misheard, and delivered to the wrong officials. My place as a guest meant little in Calormen, something I had learned on my first few months there.

"There are rumors that the demon called Aslan killed her. My lord husband claims that the Narnians are controlled by him. He hopes to convert them once our glorious Prince Rabadash marries their Queen Susan."

I moved my queen into an empty square. Narnia seemed such a strange land, and we were to land there that very night! I pressed my lips in thought. The name Aslan seemed such a strange and beautiful name to me, but Avanleen had shuddered as she had said it. Everything seemed so mysterious to me all of a sudden.

"What of the kings?" I asked. She smiled, as if knowing why I was changing the subject. She probably did since my flirtatious personality had become largely known in recent months.

"Apparently the High King Peter is quite a catch with the ladies although he prefers to fighting, which is why there'll be a tournament later this week. King Edmund is, well," she shrugged, and moved her king away from my knight.

"Well?" I prompted, raising a dark eyebrow. "What about him?"

"I know nothing about him," she mused, "nothing at all." I stared at her without realizing that

had just placed her in checkmate due to my next move. Nothing? How could neighboring countries know nothing about their hopeful allied kings?

"I'll find out, then," I declared, looking at her in the straight in the eyes. She laughed, then. I sipped at the wine in my goblet. She had no right to mock me when I was serious.

"You?" she mocked, "I highly doubt you could find out anything if I couldn't. A king can't be one of your games, Sariel," she said with a more serious tone. I allowed myself the pleasure of rolling my eyes.

"Check mate, Avanleen," I declared, ignoring her warning. I playfully knocked her king down with a pawn, and watched it roll onto the deck.

"The king is dead," I said, more to myself then to my companion, "long live the queen." I think, it was that moment of all moments that changed me. I imagined myself as queen, queen of Narnia. And I told myself, in the dark pit of my heart, that I would be queen-one day.

We arrived an hour later.

"Don't you think you were treading into dangerous territory, my lady?" asked the doctor, observing at me with a serious look.

I shrugged. "I was naïve, Doctor Cornelius. I had been in the presence of my foolish friend Lasaraleen for the past few years. Since Caen was not with me, my declaration of knowing King Edmund only sounded like a harmless piece of fun."

"But he wasn't," said the dwarf.

"No," I admitted, "it wasn't."

Upon our arrival, dozens of different kinds of creatures, all Narnians I believed, lined on the docks to great us. I was not on the first boat to land on the docks, for those arriving landed by boat, and the ships were kept near the shore held by anchors. Unfortunately, there was such a large crowd, and due to my place as only being a guest at the court, I was not among those who the royals greeted that time. I, and several others, were held back as carriages were sent for. Milky white horses were harnessed, and I could just make out Prince Rabadash following a crowd of white people into one of the richly decorated carriages.

Avanleen and I were one of the last to leave, and by then we had our fill of Narnia. Badgers and Bears talked to each other like they were long lost friends, even the horses that pulled the carriages were greeting each other. I found it all fascinating, but my companion refused to talk to me, even in the presence of her husband. Our carriage ride was a surprisingly smooth one, and I had nothing to complain about. Avanleen's husband was an entirely different matter as he found everything to complain about. He called the Narnians barbaric, the royals (although he himself had not yet met them due to his lower position at court), demonic, and the land horrid.

I pretended to doze while he ranted. His wife, the poor ththing, complained of a head ache, so I was not displeased to leave them once we reached the courtyard. To my surprise, my father was their to personally meet me. He looked shocked at my appearance. My tanned skin, my low dress, and scandalous attire in general was nothing what he was expecting. I could tell by the flames in his eyes. My mother and sister were no where in sight.

"Do the years of our separation make you a whore?" he hissed, grabbing me by the forearm. I stared at him, unwilling to let the sudden tears form in my eyes. I didn't want to believe that I could smell the alcohol on his breath. My father looked completely different from when I had left him. Their were bags under his eyes, suggesting that he had not slept in weeks. His beard nearly reached down to his waist. What had happened to cause this horrible change in him? I wondered, but dared not ask in case I would further anger him.

He led me up the stairs into the palace, and he gave me no chance to look around. We past different creatures, even a Leopard, who nearly caused me to shriek in alarm as it passed by us in the corridors. Father only squeezed my arm harder, and I learned to shut my mouth. We finally reached our destination, a spacious room with a fireplace. To my surprise, Caen was brushing her long hair as we came in. She looked so thin. Father slammed the door as he left, not bothering to linger with his two daughters.

"Caen, what...?" With a mournful cry, my sister toasted her brush onto her large bed, and threw her arms around my neck. I braced myself, unused to her sudden touch. This was not the Caen I knew. The one who was in control, and made the decisions for me. The one who had all the strength in my life, and always a step ahead of me.

"Oh, it's so horrible, Sariel!" she wailed, pressing her hand against her mouth to control the sobs. "Mother died!"

I stared at her. Everything made sense now. Why father hadn't insisted that I come back when I wanted to stay; father's transformation. But mother, dead? The woman had been a stranger most of my life, but she had always been a big presence in our home. The idea of her strong figure laying in the ground seemed wrong, almost bizarre.

"H-h-how?" I stuttered.

"They it was her heart that gave out," Caen sobbed, "father changed completely. King Lune hoped that the Narnian air would do him good, once he found out about father's changed behavior. But, oh-" she broke off into another dramatic sob. I don't know what it was, but something snapped in me that moment, and I hated the sight of this weakling in front of me. I didn't care what she was feeling. I did something that the old Sariel would never had done, and it surprised Caen, and to a certain degree, me as well; I shook her by the shoulders.

"Enough," I snapped, "father doesn't need this."

"Oh," she hiccuped, "if only you knew..." I stared at her. What did she mean?

"What do you mean?" I muttered, dragging her to sit on the bed beside me. She stared at her hands, her nails all of a sudden a quite interesting.

"It's all father's idea, you see," she said, "he had this idea when father made an ambassador for King Lune,,,," I watched her as she looked at anything but me. "I have made a special bond with the High King."

I stared at her. Anybody would have if they were in my position.

"That's it?" I asked dumbly, "That's all father has been doing?"

She glared at me angrily, like I was missing a huge point to her statement.

"H-h-he doesn't know that I don't care for him," Caen said, "and there's been rumors we're to marry, but..." she plucked at the threads on the quilt. "Someone else hopes to put his claim on me as well."

"Who?" I was interested now with all this royal intrigue that had fallen into my hands thanks to the most unlikely person.

"His brother, king Edmund."

My mouth fell open in surprise. "His brother? Caen, really! What were you thinking?" My accusation seemed hypocritical at the moment, especially since I had told Avanleen that I would become his queen. Apparently, Caen was always a step ahead of me.

"I thought...you might..." she looked at me, her eyes pitiful, "you might make him fall in love with you instead."

I couldn't help it. Caen's plan seemed so ridiculous. Even more ridiculous then my idea of being queen. I laughed at her, and even more at her stunned expression.

"Seriously-" Caen interrupted me, " I mean it, Sariel. Make him fall in love with you." I arched an eyebrow. Me fall enough love with him? Well, the idea of becoming a queen HAD come across my mind, but I hadn't ever thrown in the love part. I cocked my head to the side, studying her red eyes.

"Alright," I said, "I'll do it."