Chapter 25

Hello guys, firstly thank you to the two reviewers on the last chapter. They have given me some excellent ideas on how to re-vamp this story to hopefully get more readers. I will be doing that re-vamp in about November. Firstly I will be completing this story. Just to let you know there are this and two more full chapters plus an epilogue before it is finished.

Please review and as always enjoy.

Love C.J.

Victoria woke up in the middle of the night. To say that she was surprised would be a lie. She had already awoken three times, but each one of those times she had turned over and fallen back to sleep within seconds. This time she knew immediately that she would be awake for a while and a few minutes of staring at the ceiling seemed to confirm her suspicions.

She walked over to the window. Her room had a beautiful view of the very garden she had been found in during her first visit to Narnia. How long ago that seemed now. She looked at the beautiful still ponds of water, the boxes of flowers and the deserted paths. It was then that she noticed one of the paths was not quite deserted, there was a foot sticking out on the bricks. She tried to discover who it was but her window was quite at the wrong angle. Grabbing a jacket she padded as quietly as she could down the stairs out the castle into first a courtyard then a corridor and then the gardens.

She knew before she had exited the corridor that the figure was Rilian. She had memorised his figure and countenance a hundred times. She broke into a run.

"Rillian!" she cried as she reached him. He was laid seemingly unconscious in the middle of the brick path, close to the palace so that Victoria had not been able to see him out the window. "Rillian," she shouted again shaking his shoulder.

"He will not hear you," said a cold cruel voice.

"Annabella," she almost growled and sure enough the young woman emerged from the shadow and vines to stand above her. "I knew you were up to something."

"Well my dear little lady it seems you were not quick enough to work it out."

"What make him fall in love with you? And rule Narnia with him as your puppet. Hardly ingenious."

"Yes that was the original plan. Imagine my delight when I heard that the young handsome king of Narnia was in search of a bride. Failing to find one in Galma or Terebinthia or Seven Isles or the Lone Islands was returning to Narnia via Archenland close by my own house. Perfect. I lay in wait at Stormness and acted like a poor damsel in distress." Here her voice became higher and more babyish. "And then upon seeing him realising that his heart already beloved to another. Another who was not of this world. That for the rest of my life I would have to fight strong magic. To keep him from remembering his love for a girl from beyond the world's end. Just these few days have been exhausting so, killing him and claiming in mad passionate love we got married is far easier."

Victoria turned to Rillian trying to feel for his pulse. She couldn't find it, she felt his neck and heart which appeared to be warm but it wasn't beating.

"They'd work it out," she snapped "the Narnians they are much better than you give them credit."

"Perhaps but Narnia has been ruled by a witch queen before has it not? Then it will be again."

Victoria was ignoring Annabella now searching for a sign of live on Rillian. "Look at me!" She shouted holding Victoria's chin in a vice and forcing her to look at her. "He is dead and the only battle now is between you and me. And believe me dear I hold all the cards." Victoria tried in vain to move her head and she tried desperately not to look at Annabella's eyes.

"Oh really darling a peak won't hurt."

"No," Victoria shouted trying to lash out.

"Bad choice". Annabella said as though she was ticking off a naughty school child. She grabbed Victoria hosting her above her head so that Victoria's throat was constricted and she fought for air.

"Victoria," she smiled cruelly "that's supposed to mean victor correct? Well I guess this time I am the victor.

"No," said a voice "no you are not." Victoria saw a blade pass into Annabella's middle and felt the other woman drop her. She was unconscious before she hit the ground, which she did with considerable force.

To explain we have to go back in time a little. You see like all witches Annabella was overestimating her own ability and when she said Rilian was dead she meant he was almost dead. But when Victoria's hand touched his heart it touched the small spark of life still inside him and he felt himself jolted back into Narnia. He saw through a daze Annabella hoist Victoria over her head and watched as the girl he loved was dying. He moved slowly hoping no one would see him, both his and Victoria's lives depended on it. But the women where suitably distracted with their own battle. He heard Annabella's cruel voice and slipped his dagger between her ribs. Her face became shocked and she dropped Victoria who hit the floor, Rilian heard something smash.

"Rilian," Annabella said her voice returning to its girly earlier one. She held a hand on her stomach and it came away covered in blood. "You killed me." And with that she vanished into ash just a spinning silver bangle in her place.

"Victoria," Rilian said running over to her. He saw immediately that she was not conscious.

"Come on Victoria," he said holding her hand. "We can't go through all this and not make it." He held her hand an felt her fingers curl around his. "Victoria you can do this please pull through. I can't, I can't do this without you. I need you." He placed his lips to hers and felt a tear drip down his face onto hers.

"What are you crying about your majesty?" he heard Victoria's broken voice say.

"You are alive."

"Of course I'm alive." He pulled her to a sitting position.

"Your eyes are red," she said questioningly.

"I know," he smiled.

"You will need a new adventure now if you want a wife."

"No, no I won't," he said leaning in and pressing his lips to hers. Their lips met for the first time when they were both awake. It was feverish and passionate kiss and they soon broke apart her smiling and he wiping a tear from her eye.

"Why are you crying?"

"I did not think I could ever be this happy." She smiled leaning in again. He obliged her and kissed her again.