CHAPTER 02 | a peculiar kind of afterlife
Aline woke up the next day morning, to the sweet chirping of birds and sunlight streaming through an open window, bathing her face in rich warmth. She pulled the covers up her face groaning, too comfortable to get out of bed, though now too awake to go back to sleep again. She grudgingly sat up, regarding the room she was in, realizing with a sinking feeling that yesterday wasn't a dream. Or perhaps she hadn't woken up still. Could you fall asleep and wake up all while in a dream?
Just as she gathered the strength to prop herself up, the door opened with a groan and in walked a girl. Frolicking inside her suite rather carelessly in a yellow ball gown which made her look like she'd just stepped out from King Arthur's court, or perhaps she was dressed for a Halloween party as Belle?
The girl stopped abruptly, noticing that the other had woken up.
"Hello, I did not realize you were awake. I'm Lucy." she smiled radiantly.
"I'm Aline." she replied a tentative smile gracing her lips. This Lucy had blonde hair and pale skin that made her grey eyes stand out. Everything about her radiated brilliance, her skin glowed and when she moved it almost felt like she was casting sunbeams in her wake. Lucy bit her lip as if she were nervous.
"I assumed you were hungry, you had already fallen asleep when Ed brought you here before we could feed you, so I brought you this." she said placing a bowl on the dresser beside the bed. And that was when Aline realized, exactly how hungry she was as her stomach rumbled embarrassingly. But no, she thought. I need answers first.
"Thank you, Lucy." Aline regarded the steamy soup with ample chunks of meat and lentils in it. "But first, where in the world am I? What is this place? And who are you?" the questions volleyed out, as Aline got a hold of herself before more threatened to pour.
Lucy pursued her lips, "As to answer the first two," she said, "You're in Narnia-" before she could continue, Aline interrupted, "I get that, everyone here just keeps on going about a Narnia, but what exactly is that?"
Lucy smiled, "Narnia" she repeated slowly, "Narnia, is our home. Aline can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Do you believe in magic?" Lucy asked.
"Like the magic that tricksters do to rob you off your money but is truly only a sleight of hand? No, thank you."
"No," Lucy said, calmly, "not that magic, I mean, true magic."
Aline considered this before replying slowly, "I don't know what you mean, Lucy." she said. Somehow whatever this little girl dressed in a ball gown was going to say, Aline was sure she wasn't going to believe in it anyways, surely not after that stupid question of if she believed in magic, of all things!
"Well then, I'm going to tell you a story." And so did Lucy begin, telling the story of how she, and her siblings had first discovered, the magical world behind the wardrobe, and according to the old prophecy, overthrew the White Witch and how Aslan -the Lion King, Aline thought, with a laugh- crowned them Kings and Queens of the land.
Though Lucy tactfully avoided the part of Edmund and his absence in large parts of her story, and when Aline asked, she just shook her head, "It isn't my place, nor story to tell."
"Well Lucy," Aline said, hesitating a bit, on how to break the fact that she didn't believe anything the girl had just told her, while she could see the sparkle in her eyes that said, that Lucy believed in whatever lie she had been fed, clinging onto it with all her soul. "Although I must tell you that it was a real awesome story. But seriously, how do I know whether it is all true or not?"
Lucy's face fell. "I expected you wouldn't believe it. But, how else could you explain all this?" Lucy asked gesturing towards the room.
"Good point," she conceded. "But, I really wouldn't put it passed my own mind to conjure up some alternate reality, where Beavers spoke, and I get a royal suite free." or maybe I'm dead, and this is my personal hell. But for some reason she didn't want the girl to know what she suspected. That she was in fact..dead. And at that moment, the word felt so heavy in her chest.
Dead. Though she'd actually given the word more thought in the past, suddenly the gravity of it came crashing onto her shoulders, like a heavy burden. Dead. Death. The word sounded in her ears, like an echo to the beat of her own heart.
"Aline?" Lucy called tentatively. "Are you alright?
"Yeah," she replied, "I'm fine," only for Lucy to shake her hear and give her a kind, I- know- what- you're- going- through look.
"Alright, so let's say, despite my better judgment, I actually decide to believe you. If so, then how the hell am I supposed to get back?" she asked.
"You can't, Aline" Lucy said. "Not unless Aslan thinks so."
"Well, then take me to see this Aslan."
"I'm afraid, that's impossible. Aslan only shows himself when he wants to be seen."
For a moment, Aline was silent, not quite knowing how to process all this information. Madness, utter madness is what it was, she decided. A plan was already formulating in her head. Well, she was surely not kidnapped given her door stood open across them and her things, including her mobile phone and backpack were placed securely on the dresser. If she wasn't dead, she could call for help anytime. Yeah right, her mind snickered, and who exactly would she be calling for help? Aline supposed 911 would do. That's it! she thought. Thats how she was going to check if she was dead or simply going crazy.
Aline plastered a smile on her face for Lucy's sake though her teeth grit behind it at her intrusive thoughts. And Lucy smiled back. Surely Lucy did not believe all this that she spoke of? Right? Right? Aline decided whatever it was, she'd find out for herself. So she indulged the little girl in her fantasy. "Um, so if you guys are royalty, does it mean that I have to call you, 'Your Majesties' or something of the sort? I'm not exactly familiar with the customs of a country.. a kingdom?" she struggled to find the word for it.
Lucy face scrunched up, horrified at the thought, "Don't you even dare try!" she warned. "You've no idea how horrible it is to not have a real friend to talk to, when the only ladies you meet are those all- too- posh, Calormene and Telmar ladies, who have no sense of humor. None at all! Actually," she said, "I'm glad Aslan send you here."
"I am.. glad to meet you too." Aline said I suppose, though she didn't have the heart to tell Lucy that.
"Well, you'd better have your soup then, and if you want to change, there are dresses in the wardrobe." Lucy said, pointing to the wardrobe.
"Hold on! Dresses, like the ones you're wearing right now?" she asked.
"Yes of course," Lucy said as if it's the most obvious thing in the world.
"But, I don't wear dresses, they are so impractical and look tiresome!" and then seeing the look on Lucy's face added, "not that it is on you though. I mean, its the 21st century, nobody wears dresses anymore!"
"21st century?" Lucy asked blankly.
"Yes" she replied, "last time I checked it was 2014."
"No way!" Lucy yelled. "Well, it actually is," Aline assured but the girl didn't believe her. "Wait I'll show you." she said rummaging through her back pocket to she find her IPhone right at the bottom.
"Here," she said, showing Lucy the date and time. Lucy had a look that was between confused and awe. "That means its almost 70 years passed since we came here."
"That means, youre 70 years older than me!" Aline joked, and they both laughed.
"What is that?" Lucy asked pointing to the IPod. Aline smirked.
"And this, your majesty," she said in a mock voice, "is something of the likes you've never seen before. May I now present you, the 21st century's magic box!"
"Just kidding," she added at Lucy's startled expression. "Its just an cell phone. You know, you can like make calls, listen to songs, and watch videos and download apps and that sorta things."
Lucy just gave her a blank look, "Actually, I don't believe I caught half of what you just told me. Anyway, I guess that at least explains your clothes." Lucy said, eyeing her, "you know, it wasn't the height of fashion when we left."
"Oh!" Aline said, looking down at her tanktop, with the checked plaid shirt she had on and the shorts she wore. She could only imagine what the '40s girl did think of her. Most importantly she wondered what Lucy's brother- what was his name, Edward?- thought of her. Aline shuddered at the very thought. "Well, you see, this is pretty much what everybody wears back there." she said her cheeks turning rouge from blushing.
"Aline, its alright. I get it" Lucy said with an understandig smile, and she relaxed.
"But now speaking of clothes, there's just no way you're stuffing me into a dress!"
"You would look really good in one, I swear!" Lucy pouted.
"No way! " She said again, holding her hands up. "I know that there's a very real chance am going crazy, but not that crazy! Yet."
"Well, alright then, if you prefer, I could get you some men's clothes perhaps a tunic or some shirts and trousers, does that sound well?" Lucy said though adding with an afterthought, "however I'd bet you'd look gorgeous in a dress." Aline wrinkled her nose.
As Lucy left to get her the clothes, Aline swung herself from the bed, cringing as she took a look at her reflection in the mirror.
A pale, thin girl stared back at her. She looked beaten and worn out, the dark circles under her eyes only seemed to deepen. She gazed right back at her reflection dressed in denim shorts for the summer with a tank top and a plaid shirt over it, she almost winced as she recalled her interaction with Lucy's brother. Going from Lucy's tale they were from a whole different time and Aline could only wonder what he had thought of her, a blush on her cheeks at that.
She tucked the emerald charm around her neck, biting her lip as she did.
Aline pushed her hair aside. There was a large scar on where the vase had knocked her out. But for it to have healed this quick, was surely an impossibility. For she knew she wasn't hallucinating the pain that rocked through her right before she lost consciousness. But Aline found solace in that very fact, least the Pevensie monarch slash siblings did not have to know of it. She did not quite look forward to having to explain to Lucy how she'd acquired it.
Her phone! She remembered with a start grabbing the thing only to be disappointed as it died in her hands. Why, oh why would she not remember to leave it charged overnight?! Aline groaned her head in her hands, so much for her genius plan of figuring out if she were dead or alive or simply going crazy. With a bite of her lip and her eyes narrowed to the door she sighed knowing she was going to have to go out and investigate for herself. First, she could start with this very luxurious suite the generous Royals seemed to have put her up in.
The room was least thrice the size of her own complete with a vanity set, roomy wardrobe running the length of the wall, a medieval bath, changing screen, and the side opened up to a large balcony. Making her way onto it Aline gasped. Spread before her was the biggest lawn she'd ever seen with buildings that could only be a part of a castle. Hmm, so Lucy and her brother were not lying, they were royals indeed. Beyond the manicured lawns rose up a quaint little town from below, with cobble stone pathways carving through haphazardly placed limestone buildings. People scurried around like ants from her vantage points, but wait- something seemed off with the picture. More than people there were.. animals.. roaming freely around.. and Aline's jaw dropped as she saw a monkey mow the lawn! Under the supervision of.. was that a Peter Rabbit?
Aline retreated immedietly, closing the curtains as she did her heart in her mouth. This wasn't real. She pinched herself only to feel it hurt. Could this actually be the afterlife? She sure did not feel dead. In fact Aline never felt more alive.. almost like it was something in the air, her breaths seemed to draw in more oxygen than her lungs were previously used to and her vision seemed to have grown much more clearer that throwing open her windows to marvel at the city below Aline felt she could make out each individual sunbeam glow down on the otherworldly town.
If this was the afterlife, Aline sure wasn't complaining. At all. She smiled as she bit her lip before falling back onto the exceedingly comfortable sheets wrapping them around her as far as she could stretch.
"Ed?" Peter called at his younger brother. "Edmund?" No response.
"EDMUND PEVENSIE!" he yelled.
"Jeez! Pete, I am listening, do you have to yell like that?" the Just King rolled his eyes.
"Sure," Peter replied sarcastically, "you sure were listening."
Edmund rolled his eyes. "Alright I give up, so what were you saying?"
Peter sighed, "This does not seem a great omen, what with everything happening around Narnia. Even Orieus seems apprehensive of the news of her.. arrival."
"That was expected. General Oreius is apprehensive of everything."
"Well," Peter said, "you do know what this means."
"I know, Pete, but you just can't do that." he said.
"Do what?" the High King asked.
"Just.. thrust her into the public eye and put her in the mercy of the cowardly old Lords, you know they'd want to throw her into the dungeons or worse."
The High Kings face was grim. "That would be what they'd want. But what if they are right and she is a threat. What with the attacks on the villages by Lantern Waste and the rumors.. the arrival of another Daughter of Eve is bound to not go down well.." he trailed on.
Edmund knew just how serious things were. The Forsaken hadn't been spotted in Narnia long before the White Witch, and they were still believed to be more of a forgotten myth, as long as most Narnians were concerned at least.
And though there were rumors of them on the very edges of the land, in the previous strongholds of Jadi's domain he was yet to meet one, which did not help his skeptical thoughts that.. maybe it was some rogue giant dabbling in magic or some amateur witch. Either way, he planned to investigate. Peter had already too much to worry about, of the proposed treaty with the Northern Giants, and his sisters needn't need to know of this, at least not yet.
"Why would Aslan bring her here, if she really is a threat?" Edmund demanded.
Peter put his head in his hands, being High King was truly frustrating sometimes.
"Yeah, try telling them that, brother." he replied wryly.
"Peter. Remenber that it was Aslan who crowned you High King, not those lazy fat arses that do nothing but sit and eat in their estates."
"I know," he just replied.
"So, tell me," the High King said. "How is she?"
The question caught Edmund by surprise. "Why don't you go see for yourself?" he asked.
"I meant to do that first thing morning," Peter said, "but circumstances called."
Edmund smirked, "Don't worry, I'm sure our all- too- courteous sisters, already have her occupied."
"Oh no, the poor girl!" Peter said, remembering their sisters' excitement at the new arrival as the two brothers shared a laugh.
The Just King got up, "I'd better get going," he said. "maybe I'd be able to find something useful this time around." Edmund stood, refering to the work Peter had tasked him with, to look for any prophecy that might be related perhaps to a new Daughter of Eve and right now Edmund had a lead. After all their presence here was prophesied a millennia before their arrival here and the course of their actions pre-determined. If only he could find something of the sort regarding this girl- Aline, it would go a long way to integrating her into Narnia without the Lords of the Lands and their perpetual fear of losing their riches proving to be much of a problem.
The King made his way to the library deep in thought. The Cair's library although very impressive did not contain the kind of sensitive documents that would aid their search for a prophesy, that's what Oureborus is for. But he couldn't shake the lingering feeling in his head that he was missing something. Maybe it wasnt something secretive or grand, maybe it was some small clue attested somewhere in some script or scroll he had missed before without the context of Narnia's latest new comer. Thankfully it was empty as usual. He paused a moment, letting the familiar sight of the floor to ceiling shelves soothe his senses if only for a moment before his sense of work brought him back to reality.
Edmund piled up a set of books, all of them ancient, and some with such boring titles that he would never even have dreamed of opening under a different circumstance.
And that was when he noticed that he wasn't as lonely as he had thought he was, for sitting by the windows overlooking the lush gardens, someone else was seated, exactly where he was planning to.
It took him a moment to realize who it was, for though the person was dressed in trousers and a tunic, their figure seemed extremely feminine and that wavy hair most certainly did not belong to any of the old Lords. Edmund smirked at the thought of a certain Lord he did not favour well, with wavy hair.
Then he saw whom it was, Aline.
She didn't hear him approach, her nose buried in a book. After a moment of hesitation, Edmund quietly pulled the couch opposite her, not wanting to disturb her, as he set down the pile of books quietly as possible.
With that, the Just King got to work. Edmund flipped pages in urgency skimming through their contents, to only come to realise quite quickly that maybe sitting in by her may not be that good of an idea especially if he wanted to stay focused. As much as he directed his attention to the book lying open in front of him, he couldn't help but stare at the way she was leaning forward into her read, her lashes long and curly and tendrils of hair framing her face in a messy manner. Her lips were slightly parted and a gentle smile seemed to reside on them as she clearly read something that caused her amusement.
What was he doing? Edmund froze. Of course she was pretty, but he was staring! Edmund Pevensie never stared at women, in fact women stared at him. He shook his head to clear his thoughts, besides he had much more important stuff to tend to and with now newfound determination, he was going to do just that.
However, unfortunately it wasn't long before the King grew vexed. He had spent the whole of last night, and even now, he couldn't find anything worth even from the oldest book he could find in the extensive library of the Cair! Well, he knew it wasn't easy searching all the books in the archives. There were just too many, it was like looking for a needle in a haystack, but yet, a man could hope.
He put the book down with a thud, sighing, as Aline looked up suddenly from hers, noticing for the first time of the boy who had been in front of her for a good part of the past hour.
"I'm sorry, I didn't notice you were here." she began to rise up.
"No," he called. "Please stay. In fact, I didn't mean to disturb you."
"Oh," she said sitting right back down as she bit her lip. An annoyingly distracting habit, he noticed.
"Erm," she cleared her throat, "about yesterday, I apologise if I was out of line. But I thought it was a dream or something of the sort. You must understand this is all very new to me."
"It's alright," he said a smile stretching on his face for no reason, "at least I didn't have to knock you out."
She returned a small smile at that, and the Just King couldn't help noticing how green her eyes were, green like the leaves of the Eastern woods, he mused. That's how he would describe them if he were a poet. But he was not and most definitely wasn't in any danger of being asked by anyone to elaborate on the shade of her eyes. He frowned at himself,
And then, just as abruptly as it came, the smile disappeared, and she buried her head back into the book, leaving him wondering momentarily of what just happened or if he'd said anything wrong to warrant the distinct shift.
Except that- that was exactly when he noticed something, the title of the book in her hands.
It was 'A Complete Narnian History : The Beginning of time to the Fall of the White Witch' He felt his blood run cold.
"What are you reading?" he barked out.
"It's the Narnian history, figures if I'm stuck in this place, at least I'd learn its history."
"You cannot read that."
Confusion colored her features and Edmund almost felt bad, almost.. "Why?"
"Because," he said as if it was the most obvious thing, "I said so."
"Since when was it a crime to read the history of the land you were stuck in, until some Lion King sees fit to let you go?" she was bewildered.
Edmund bothered not grace her with an answer, instead he only stood up, and to Aline's utter surprise, just snatched the book away from her hands. "By the way, nice attire." and he left, just like that.
Edmund heard her mutter something like 'jerk' but he didn't care. He couldn't let her read that or have her know about the things he had done. He might act like he didn't care, and they may act like it mattered no more, but deep down he knew, the Narnians never really forgot, what he'd done. How could they? He sold his own family after all, for...Turkish Delight.
No, she needn't know of that.
And he didn't even know why he cared, what she thought about him, and that was what scared him the most.
Question:
Do you think Netflix would go through with their Narnia adaptation or they'd toss it away again? :(