BANG. Loud noises arise in the hall and I wake up. My eyes flutter open and my heart stops. I bring my hands to my face, searching for a pillow that isn't there. "Liam," I breathe. "LIAM!"
In the room next door, I can distinctly hear him fall out of bed and stumble through my bedroom door. "What? What is it, Lynn? Are you alright?"
"LIAM!" I scream. "LIAM, I CAN'T SEE!"
A pair of hands sit me up and shift my body to face Liam. "Calm down, Lynn! Please calm down!" He starts breathing fast and his hands start to tremble. "C-Caspian." He calls out weakly. "CASPIAN!"
"BE QUIET!" I hear Trumpkin yell from his room two-doors-down. "IT'S THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT! I NEED TO SLEEP!"
Liam curses under his breath and I breathe in and out hysterically. The door hits the hard wall and someone gasps. They come toward us and lightly touch my knee. "Lynn, what's going on?" Definitely Lilliandil. "I went to get a glass of water when I heard you screaming."
"Queen Lilliandil," says Liam. "Please stay with Lynn as I fetch Caspian!" Shortly, the door is slammed close.
I pat my lap, searching for her hand and grip it tightly. "I can't see anything." I widen my eyes and begin to cry. "Liam! Stay here with me! Everything is black. All I can see is complete darkness!"
She takes her hands back and holds my face in them. "Shh," she soothes. "You're going to be okay, Lynn. I promise. Liam will come back with Caspian and everything will be alright."
"Are-Are you sure?" I gulp.
"I'm sure." She confirms, kissing my forehead.
Lilliandil's gentle action reminds me of my bestfriend. My crying intensifies as she pulls her lips back. I wrap my arms around the half-star and start to wail. What I would give to have Susan here right now. God, what I would do to have any of the Pevensie siblings here right now! Lilliandil sits next to me and starts to hum a familiar Narnian lullaby as I cry into her shoulder.
"Ahem." Lilliandil turns her head and I listen to see who it is.
"Queen Lilliandil, Lady Evalynn."
"Yes, Sir Greyson?" The sound of claws scrape against the ground and I straighten myself up.
"I was told by the king to bring Queen Lucy's cordial here."
She takes a deep breath."If I may ask, where is the king and why could he have not brought the cordial himself?"
"I'm sorry to inform that there is an uprising in the town as we speak. Sir Glenstorm called King Caspian and Sir Liam into the town to calm the citizens."
"Uprising?" I interject.
"Correct, Lady Evalynn."
"Whatever about?" Lilliandil asks.
"Apparently, the news of the White Witch visiting Lady Evalynn in her dreams has broken out among the citizens. Much to our dismay, a few of our people believe the Witch will live once again and are stating they will side with her if she returns. People are beginning to destroy the city. Dear Aslan, the whole thing is just a big mess!"
"And it's all my fault," I mumble, burying my face in my hands.
"Evalynn," Lilliandil whines.
"Oh, please don't say that Lady Evalynn!" Sir Greyson quickly pleads. "It's their fault if they choose to believe the Witch will come back! They need more faith!"
"Well, thank you for bringing the cordial," Lilliandil thanks, dismissing him.
"No problem at all, Queen Lilliandil. Please feel better Lady Evalynn! Goodbye!"
"Goodbye," we both say as I lift my head. I fall on my back onto my bed as the door closes and sigh. Lilliandil grabs my hand and gives it a warm squeeze.
"It's not your fault," she reassures.
I look to the ceiling and laugh, realizing no matter where I turn my head or shift my eyes, I'll never see anything other than black. "Sure, Lilliandil, Sure. It's just that your husband and Liam are in the town stopping an uprising that I happen to be responsible for!" I smack my forehead and drown in guilt.
"Lynn, please. Caspian and Liam will be fine; they can handle it." I sigh again and she gives my hand another squeeze. "Don't you believe in them?"
"Of course I do," I reply. "I'm just concerned, you know..."
"I have a feeling you're more worried about Liam than Caspian."
Even though I can't see them, I can just feel the Queen's eyes on me. "I'm such a horrible person! I'm so sorry Lilliandil! It's just that-"
"It's okay," she interrupts. We stay where we are for a long time in an awkward silence. "So how are things with Liam?" I laugh at her attempt to break the ice. "Oh, come on! I saw how giddy you two looked at dinner last night!"
I laugh and scratch my head nervously. "Things are good..."
"Oh, come on! I know there's more to it-tell me!" she begs.
"We said 'we love you' to each other?"
"WHAT? And you tried to say things are good! You can't-"
She stays quiet for the longest time. "What is it?" I ask Lilliandil. "Are they back?"
"No, no." She replies. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't be meddling into your business."
"Okay...Well, how about you? How are things with Caspian?"
"Things have been well," she admits. "We recently talked about producing an heir."
It feels like someone hit me square in the chest and I think of Susan again. "Great...That's great to hear!"
"Yes, I suppose."
"You don't sound very enthusiastic about it."
"No, that's not it! I've always wanted children. It's just that..." The sadness in her voice is unbearable and my heart aches for both queens.
"Just what?"
"It's just that it seems off. I know Caspian loves me...but it's just that his whole heart is somewhere else, with someone else. It doesn't seem right."
"Lilliandil..."
"I know, Lynn. Believe me, I know. I'm not her. I'm not Queen Susan. I don't think Caspian will ever love me like he loves her."
"You know he loves you," I defend.
"Yes," she says flatly. "Don't worry, Lynn. I hold no grudge against the queen. How could anyone? She's good for Caspian."
A tear rolls down face and I make sure to wipe it away fast. I've been crying too much for one day and the sun hasn't even risen. "I know for a fact that if Susan were here, she'd appreciate you saying that." I can imagine Lilliandil giving off a bright smile. "I think the two of you would be lovely friends."
The both of us stop talking and Lilliandil gets up to open my window and light a candle. "Perhaps I could read you a book?"
"That sounds excellent," I beam, feeling like I'm ten again.
I can hear her shuffle to my bookcase and pick a book. She comes back and sits beside me. I lie back down and close my useless eyes. Pages turn and she settles down to begin, "There was once a faun named Mr. Tumnus..."
The bed shifts and I pat the empty space beside me. "Lilliandil," I call.
"Lynn," she whispers somewhere near the door. "Please go back to sleep.
There's a sort of scared tone to her voice. "What's going on?" Screams begin to echo down the hall and I tear the blanket away from my body and sit up. "What's happening?"
"Nothing, Lynn! Don't worry, just go back to sleep!"
"Don't lie to me, Lilliandil!" I shriek as I stand up. "Something's wrong!"
She embraces me in a hug and strokes my hair. "Please...just go back to sleep."
A terrible moan is sent through the whole castle. My heart drops as I recognize the agonizing noise coming from none other than Liam. I fall to my knees as I hear Lilliandil start to break down and cry.
"Sir Greyson," we hear Caspian snap somewhere outside my room. "Did you follow my orders?"
"Yes your majesty," Sir Greyson purrs.
"And the cordial is with them?"
"Yes, your majesty."
Heavy footsteps trail to my bedroom and it sounds like a gunshot as Caspian opens the door. Lilliandil gasps and I get to my feet. "What's going on Caspian?" I ask.
"I NEED THE CORDIAL!" Caspian demands. I hear Lilliandil shuffle to the cordial on my bed and I clench my fists.
There's another moan and my heart breaks even more. "Lynn..."
"Liam! Liam, where are you?" His arms wrap around me and I stagger back a little. Something warm trickles onto my face and I regain my balance. "Oh, Liam. What happened?"
"A rebel shot an arrow and it grazed his neck." Caspian solemnly answers. "He was stabbed in the leg and back numerous times trying to protect me. These damn people are causing a riot!"
My eyes widen as I realize I have Liam's blood on me. I bring my arms around his neck and hold him tightly, feeling like he'll be gone the next second. We sway, him unable to handle my weight and someone catches us. "He needs Lucy's cordial," Caspian tells me.
"I refuse to let you use Queen Lucy's cordial on me," Liam pants.
"Be reasonable, Liam!" Lilliandil spouts.
"We have been told to use it sparingly."
"But you have been so open to me using it every time I'm hurt," I fight.
"Whether you like it or not, I order you to take it," Caspian howls.
My door opens once again and I hear Trumpkin gravely greet Caspian. "People have started to leave the Cair. They say they are heading to the Western Wild." Something burns inside me and I become furious. The Western Wild is my place. My own, special place where I came into Narnia, where I met Aslan.
"Do they not know the area is forbidden to the citizens?" Caspian snaps.
"They're aware," Trumpkin mumbles. "Someone had the guts to decide they would meet Jadis there when she supposedly returns. The Buffoons!"
"This is mockery! Lord Trumpkin, take some of our men and bring them down." I cringe a little as Caspian walks away from us. This is a side of him I've never witnessed.
"They're willing to fight back," Trumpkin states. "Our soldiers have said they have seen them bring weapons with them."
Caspian kicks something over and we all stay silent. "I'm calling a meeting. Make sure all the council members are there. NOW!"
He storms out and I lay Liam down on my bed. "Lilliandil."
"Yes?" She whispers.
"Stay here with him... Make sure he gets a drop of the cordial no matter what. Trumpkin, guide me." I hold out my hand and he hesitantly takes it, gripping it hard after he does.
"Where are you going?" Lilliandil asks.
"I'm going to that meeting," I try to say as calmly as I can.
"Lynn, I don't think that's a-"
"I'M GOING TO THAT MEETING, NO MATTER WHAT ANYONE SAYS!" She doesn't say anything and I clear my throat. "Lead the way, Trumpkin."
Shit's gonna go down, I promise:) After a while of writer's block and rambling, the plot is finally going to progress. And you wanna know a tiny secret? Someone's gonna die! Anyways, I plan to write another sidestory about Liam's life because I noticed he's not a very developed character(which is wierd, since I love him) Review, review, review please!
Much appreciation xx