Bane of the Undaunted
Prologue: A Villain Most Evil
The kingdom of Narnia had been at peace for three hundred years. The Tree of Life that grew in the middle of the country was still strong and full of its magic, protecting the entire realm. Crops grew with much abundance, the weather was always in correspondence with the seasons, there was plenty of wealth to go around and no one was starving or poor. People and creatures from far and wide all agreed that Narnia was the absolute finest place to live amongst anywhere else in the world. And they also agreed that the people who deserved most of the credit was the Moltenore family. As the family chosen by Aslan the Most Noble Lion to forever rule his fair country, they took great care to ensure its prosperity and longevity. That is, all except for Queen Ynacia. Now she wasn't reckless by any means of the word, but she was a good deal arrogant. Though I suppose it would be hard for one to blame her if they were in her position.
As the ruling monarch of a land such as Narnia, what with all its resources and reputation, it being a beacon of light and glory and under the eye and watch of Great Aslan, Ynacia saw no reason to wear the Jewel of Everlasting Light around her neck anymore. She saw no reason for the entire family to have their magic if there was never any threat (since they could only use it to defend, not attack, you see). And she saw no reason to even think such a thing as preposterous as anyone usurping the kingdom was possible. Perhaps this was the reason she rarely paid attention to anything that went on outside the walls of Cair Paravel.
However, her sister, Princess Etheraya did. Despite being seventeen years younger than the queen, she was a far bit wiser. She was always concerned with Ynacia's proud nature and knew that it was going to one day get her into trouble. Unfortunately for not only her, but for the entire kingdom, Etheraya had a haunting feeling that she would be proven right sooner rather than later. She had been trying to make her sister heed her warnings or at least listen to them for weeks now, but Ynacia refused to listen. That did not stop her from trying, though. This is precisely what she was doing now. Etheraya was right on her sisters' heels as she turned about throughout the halls. Though Ynacia was over fifty, she still moved with the briskness of someone much more youthful.
"Would it trouble you so to just listen to me?" Etheraya begged.
"I see no reason why I should," replied Ynacia. "If I've told you once, I've told you many a time. There is hardly an excuse for you to be concerned."
"Tis not so much a concern I am airing but a plea," said her sister. "I am simply asking you to take a precaution. I have seen the signs and-,"
"Your eyes betray you, sister." Ynacia interrupted, finally turning round, and looking at Etheraya. "You have seen nothing. There is no force that can penetrate my borders. And Aslan still will keep us safe."
"You have betrayed Aslan," countered the princess. "You have fallen from the knowledge that he truly is King here. You trust more in yourself than in he. This will be your demise if you would just listen. I fear that if you do not relearn to believe in his power than he will not help us." Ynacia now simply stared into Etheraya's eyes.
"This trivial discussion will cease here and now," she turned to go, but was stopped with a hand on her shoulder. She looked back over. Her sisters gaze had softened from determination to get her to listen to a plead.
"Ynacia, I may not get you to heed my warnings, this is becoming clear. But if you value your crown, the kingdom, and the family, then I implore you to wear the Jewel again. What harm can that do? If something does happen and we cannot defend ourselves, at least we will have our magic. Had it chosen me I would have done so, but this is not the case. Therefore, the responsibility falls to you. Sister, I beg you."
"Very well," Ynacia said after a long moment. "I will consider it, although I still must say I believe that you are acting most foolish."
"You had better take my words to heart, lest you be the foolish one," Etheraya snapped back. The monarch was about to reply when an attendant rounded the corner.
"Queen Ynacia," he declared. Ynacia turned to look at him.
"Yes, Theudebert?" she asked in a slightly annoyed tone.
"Visitors approaching from the North, Lady Queen." Ynacia cocked a brow but did not say anything further. Many visitors and tourists from other lands came to Narnia to admire it and to venture. She turned back to her sister.
"We will meet later." She offered a ghost of a smile and followed Theudebert to most likely the throne room. Etheraya sighed heavily and spun on her heel heading back in the direction from which she came. After a few more minutes of walking, she came to the ornate double doors of the massive Cair Paravel library. She walked in and immediately sat down at a table. It was littered with parchment and books and maps. Etheraya had a quill sitting eagerly in a pot of ink next to everything. She had been researching for many months after having a most peculiar dream. In it, Ynacia was killed by a white dog and the palace crumbled around it. The dog then sat on top of her sister's body as if she was its personal bed. The dream had troubled her so that she immediately began to fear for the fate of the kingdom. Since she did not have many duties, she spent most of her time in the library combing through old scrolls and books, hoping for some sort of prophecy or the like to become uncovered. So far, she had yielded little results.
She sat down and opened a curious volume of Narnian lore that she had been drawn to. The page that she flipped to contained a copy of The Prophecy of Adam and Eve. Aslan had made it many years ago when he had placed the Moltenore family on the throne. The tale is rather intriguing, a least Etheraya had always found so. But that is better saved for a future chapter. She had been working away, jotting down notes and looking at more old lore for about half an hour when there was a knocking at the door. Etheraya straightened up and placed her crown back upon her head in case it was someone important. "Come in." she said in her most stoic voice. The doors opened and a man was standing there. He had somewhat of a round face and was slightly chubby, but still carried himself with strong shoulders. His blue eyes sparkled and he had slicked down black hair. "Oh, its just you." Licinius Dirvass smiled to himself and entered the room.
"I expected more from you than that, Your Highness," he said with a smirk.
"Oh, my earnest apologies," Etheraya replied. She rose from her chair and dipped herself into a dramatic slow, deep curtsy. "How rude of me to address a member of the Most Noble House of Dirvass and of the Queen's Royal Guard so simply." Licinius rolled his eyes.
"Very amusing," he said. He made his way over to the table at which Etheraya sat and his eyes widened. "I take it Ynacia didn't listen?"
"Once again," sighed the princess as she rested her chin in her hands. "Its rare that I even get a moment alone with her to talk about anything, let alone safety precautions. Just because the Jewel chose her, she thinks she doesn't have to listen to anyone else."
"You really believe your dream, then?" asked Licinius. Etheraya turned to him with her eyes blazing.
"More then I believe in the safety of our borders." She turned to look more at her research. "May Aslan have his mercy on us…"
Ynacia paused at the doors for just a moment to allow Theudebert to open them. The throne room of Cair Paravel was perhaps the most splendid of all. It had a stunning glass roof and marble columns and walls, all decorated with pure gold. Surely these visitors from the North would be just as astonished as all the others who came here. Of course, it was customary for any and all travelers who entered Narnia to have an audience with the Queen so she could provide them with the law of the land and the best places to tour and visit. Ynacia walked down the gold carpet to the Middle Throne, the seat of the High Queen. There were four other thrones as well, two to the left and two to the right. These, as so declared by Aslan, were to remain vacant until The Prophecy of Adam and Eve came to pass. Who knows when that would be? There was no "evil time" as it was written so there was no chance it would be in this century at the very most.
When she reached her place, she swept her gown beneath her and sat. And waited. It seemed like a longer wait than usual. More than once, Ynacia shivered at a few strange breezes of cold air that wafted in through the open columns but she paid it no mind. The seasons were about to change, after all, for it was late summer. Soon, she heard the sound of footsteps in the hall. They stopped for only a moment before the doors flung open. There stood a very tall woman, taller than any woman in Narnia. She was at least seven feet. Perhaps she was part giant; she was from the North after all. She had piercing blue eyes and coiled blonde hair. She was wrapped in a white gown and in her right hand carried a staff that looked like an icicle. Stranger though, were the three wolves that were at her sides. She had a cold, stern look on her face and looked straight at Ynacia as she walked halfway down the aisle and stopped.
"State your business here," Ynacia let her voice boom throughout the chamber. The woman waited a few moments before replying in a smooth, elegant yet chilling voice.
"Yours, Queen Ynacia," she said simply. Ynacia couldn't help but chuckle.
"Forgive me, but are you actually trying to take my throne? Preposterous." She waved her hand. "Guards!" A couple of the fauns that guarded the throne room lunged at the woman with their spears to apprehend her. But the woman raised her staff and instead of the flesh and blood fauns there were now two stone statues in their place. Ynacia's eyes widened in shock and she was rendered speechless.
"We can make this easy, Your Majesty," she sneered. "Surrender Narnia to me…or die." Ynacia hardened her eyes and rose from her throne. "So be it," said the woman. She banged her staff, which was obviously a wand and instantly the room turned dark and cold. Snowflakes began to fall from the ceiling and wind seemed to come from nowhere. The sorceress began to approach Ynacia. She put her hand forward, expecting a fiery flame to shoot forth and engulf the stranger. But nothing happened. She stomped a single time, trying to make mighty branches or columns of stone spring from the floor. Again, nothing happened. Ynacia finally came to a realization. She placed a hand to her neck, finding it bare. The Jewel of Everlasting Light was in her jewelry box in her chambers, all the way on the other end of the palace. She looked up into the eyes of her assassin and then came a searing, extremely sharp pain in her abdomen. The witch drew the other end of her wand from Ynacia and it came away covered in blood. The Queen slumped to the floor, gasping for air. The other woman turned to address her wolves.
"Go! Find the rest of the female Moltenores and kill them all. Spare the men. Then, round up the rest of the nobility and bring them to me, I want them alive." She exited the throne room, knocking the two statue-ridden fauns over on the way out. One of the wolves let out a single howl. More echoed it from outside the palace. They too ran off. Ynacia was left alone on the floor, clutching her wound and trying to cling to life. She wished now more than ever that she had the Jewel. She also felt the pain of regret. Etheraya was right. Oh, why didn't she listen?
When Etheraya heard the first howl, she looked at Licinius with wide eyes. He returned her stare. Then came the rest of them. A few moments later, the door swung open and another guard stood there.
"Licinius!" he panted. "Take up your sword, my friend, Cair Paravel is under attack!"
"What?!" was all he could say. The guard noticed Etheraya in the room.
"Princess, you must flee! Save yourself!" Etheraya rose from her chair.
"Where's my sister?" she asked instead. "Tell me at once!"
"The throne room, Your Highness." Etheraya took off immediately in that direction. She kept hearing the sound of wolves and the screams of people and talking beasts. She reached the doors and was surprised to see them open. She entered and found her sister slumped on the floor by her throne, a huge gaping wound in her abdomen. Blood was soaking her gown and seeping into the floor.
"Ynacia! No!" she screamed. She ran over and gathered the fallen High Queen in her arms. Ynacia opened her eyes slightly, though they were glassed over.
"Etheraya," she breathed, her voice scarcely above a whisper. "I'm…I'm so sorry."
"Who did this to you?" Etheraya asked, eyes brimming with tears.
"A witch…dressed in all white…she…has taken the kingdom. I should've listened to you…" Etheraya grasped Ynacia's cold hand.
"I'll go get the Jewel," she said. "I'll place it round your neck and you can heal yourself."
"Tis too late," Ynacia gasped. "Get the Jewel…and get out of here. Have children…it's the only way to save Narnia. Perhaps…one of your heirs will be chosen…Sister, please forgive me…"
"There's nothing to forgive, sister," Etheraya kissed Ynacia's hand.
"Etheraya…" whispered Ynacia. "I love…you,"
"I love you, too, Ynacia," she had scarcely gotten out the words when her sister breathed her last and closed her eyes. The Queen was dead. Etheraya placed a kiss on each of her eyelids.
"We will meet again in Aslan's Country, my dear sister. Farewell." With that, she arose from the floor, not caring that she had her sister's blood on her dress. She raced as fast as her feet could carry her throughout the labyrinth-like halls of the palace, racing to get to the Queen's Chambers. Ice spread over the walls and the screams grew more frequent and louder. Etheraya shed more tears as the knowledge that all of her female cousins, in-laws, aunts, and nieces were being slaughtered. It was only a few minutes, but she finally reached Ynacia's chambers. She sprinted straight to the vanity where her sisters' jewelry box lay. She opened it and cycled through all of it before finally pulling out the Jewel of Everlasting Light.
The fist-sized Jewel itself was on a silver chain necklace. It's design magically changed with each Queen that it chose. Ynacia's design though was gone now. As was the glow of the Jewel itself. It was usually a beautiful crystal blue that glowed when it chose a Queen and it stayed that way throughout her reign. There was no glow now, however. Etheraya shed more silent tears. It knew Ynacia was dead but the fact that the glow was gone indicated that every single female Moltenore except her had already been killed. And it did not select her either, which meant that Ynacia was right; Etheraya would have to have children in order for Narnia to survive. She took a deep breath, wiped away her tears, and tucked the Jewel away in the folds of her gown. She opened the door to the room and cautiously peered around the corner. There was more silence than before. Everyone must have already been dead, captured, or they fled. She took a few steps into the hallway. When nothing happened, she moved more quickly, trying to keep her feet light so as not to be heard. Just when she thought the danger was past her, something wrapped around her legs and knocked her to the ground. She rolled over just as the dwarf put a knife to her throat.
"Your days are at their end, Moltenore!" He raised his knife and just before it made contact with her chest, Etheraya said the only thing that came to mind.
"Wait! I'm not a Moltenore!" The dwarf stopped and sneered at her.
"Who are you, then?" he asked.
"I'm a member of House Dirvass." Her heart felt it could beat out of her chest. She prayed to Aslan that this would work.
"You're going to have to come with me, then" he replied. He may have been small, but he was strong, He heaved Etheraya off of the floor and forced her to walk down the hall with his knife to her back. He escorted her outside where she saw members from the other six noble houses of Narnia divided into groups. She also recognized the rest of the Moltenore's, but they were all male and all crying. They were mourning the loss of the women in the family. But what shocked Etheraya the most was the snowflakes falling from the sky joining the light dusting that was on the ground. It was also exceedingly cold. The dwarf led her over to the group that made up House Dirvass. Etheraya recognized many of them. "Do any of you claim this woman?" said the dwarf. There were a few moments that passed before a voice arose from the group.
"I do." Licinius emerged from the Dirvasses. Etheraya was relieved to see him alive. "She's my wife." She gave him a questioning look as they weren't actually married but put it away quickly, deciding it would be best to play along. She simply nodded to the dwarf. He said nothing and simply shoved Etheraya towards Licinius. He put a protective arm around her, assuring her that she was safe. "Are you alright?" he asked.
"Are any of us?" she replied. "Ynacia and the rest of the Moltenore women are dead except me. The kingdom is lost. And Aslan did not save us. All I have is the Jewel…" her hand wandered into her skirt folds to make sure it was still there. It was.
"Then as long as you have it, there is hope." Licinius grabbed Etheraya's hand and looked into her eyes. "We have hope. And we must continue to have faith in Aslan. He will deliver us from this. But until then, we must survive. It's up to us. And I will do anything to keep you safe."
Etheraya returned Licinius's gaze. "I know you will. I have faith." She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. He returned her embrace and rested his cheek on the top of her head. Etheraya looked at the sky and saw the sun setting beyond the gray clouds that covered the rest of the sky. She gazed at it and she knew that one day it would rise upon Narnia once again.