A/N️ Eleanor steps into the spotlight—quietly, of course.

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All rights to the world and characters of Narnia belong to C.S. Lewis and his estate.

Chapter 14 - A Listener in the Shadows

Eleanor's POV

The corridors of Cair Paravel were dim, the air thick with the remnants of last night's storm. The scent of rain and salt clung to the castle walls, and though the thunder had long since faded, an uneasy hush lingered in its wake.

I adjusted my cloak, fingers brushing against the fabric absentmindedly as I walked. I hadn't spent much time inside the castle these past few days—not that anyone had seemed to notice.

Not that I had wanted them to.

The quiet of Narnia had been easy to slip into. I had spent my time learning—listening. The centaurs were more than willing to teach, their wisdom woven into the stories of the stars and the land. I had begun studying Narnian plants, gathering herbs with Hazel and the other healers, learning which roots could soothe pain, which leaves could ease a fever.

That had been enough.

Until now.

I quickened my pace, boots tapping lightly against the stone floor as I made my way toward the kitchen's back entrance. Allyri would be waiting for me. Tonight was the full moon harvest, a night the centaurs considered sacred.

And yet, as I neared the end of the hall, hushed voices caught my attention.

I slowed, instinct overriding intention.

Susan and Edmund.

I should have kept walking. I knew that.

But something in Susan's voice made me pause.

I hesitated for only a moment before stepping back into the shadows, pressing myself against the cool stone of the corridor. A tapestry hung beside me, long and heavy, concealing me from view. I wasn't proud of what I was doing—but my feet refused to move.

"We are not supposed to be here, Edmund. We weren't coming back. This was over."

Susan's words were quiet, but the weight in them was undeniable.

I stilled, barely daring to breathe.

"But aren't you happy to be back?"Edmund's voice held something I couldn't quite place. Not disbelief—something softer.

"Ask yourself this same question once this is over and you're back in Cambridge, preparing for exams, pretending everything is normal when two days before, you were a king."

A lump formed in my throat.

"Edmund, can't you see? This won't last. Soon, this will all disappear as if nothing ever happened. And at what cost? This is a war, Ed. Anything could go wrong. A poor shooting, and someone could die."

I closed my eyes.

She had just voiced what I had been trying to bury for weeks.

Edmund said something I didn't catch, and then silence.

After a moment, I risked peeking from behind the tapestry. Susan stood with her back to me, but I could see Edmund's face clearly. His brows were drawn, his expression unreadable. He hesitated only a second before wrapping his arms around his sister.

I wasn't meant to witness this.

I stepped back into the shadows, pressing myself against the stone. I kept my eyes shut, listening only to the rustle of their robes as they walked past me.

When I finally opened my eyes again, they were gone.

A crack of thunder split the air, startling me back into movement.

I exhaled sharply and pushed away from the wall, forcing my feet to carry me forward.

I had somewhere to be.

The kitchen was alive with movement when I arrived. The scent of warm bread and honey filled the space, clashing with the damp chill that still lingered from the storm.

"You're late," Allyri remarked the moment she saw me.

I winced. "I got held up."

She arched a brow.

I didn't elaborate.

Allyri was a striking centaur, her earthy complexion blending seamlessly with her dark brown lower half. Her green eyes had a piercing quality to them—like she could see through excuses before they were spoken.

"You live here. How are you late?" she questioned, unimpressed.

"Well—" I started, but before I could dig myself into a deeper hole, Hazel bustled forward.

"Eleanor!" The badger's keen eyes swept over me, already fussing. "Do you have your cloak? Oh, of course you do—yes, yes, that's good. It'll be chilly out there."

I let out a breath of relief as Hazel distracted Allyri long enough for me to recover.

Allyri simply shook her head. "Come on, before it starts again."

I barely had time to adjust my satchel before she nudged me toward the exit.

The air outside was thick with the promise of more rain. We crossed the castle gardens quickly, the scent of damp earth rising as we moved.

"We have a long walk ahead of us," Allyri said as we reached the tall grasses beyond the courtyard. The forest loomed ahead, dark and waiting.

I nodded, stepping carefully through the uneven ground. Allyri's long strides made it easy for her to move forward, but I struggled to keep up, my skirt and cloak catching on the brambles.

The last time I had walked this way, I had nearly fallen on my face—Edmund had been there to catch me before I did.

Something told me Allyri wouldn't be nearly as concerned if it happened again.

"Where are we going?" I asked, breathless.

"Dancing Lawn."

I frowned. "That's—far."

She glanced at the sky. "We may not make it there before the storm starts again."

Another crack of thunder rolled in the distance.

"Here," she said abruptly, extending her hand. "Get on."

I stared at her. "On your—?"

"It's proper if I ask you to," she said, reading my hesitation.

I hesitated for only a moment before accepting her hand. In one smooth motion, she pulled me onto her back, and then we were off, galloping toward the trees.

The wind bit at my skin as we moved through the dense forest, the trees blurring past us in streaks of green and brown.

I clung tightly to her waist, heart pounding as we cut through the woods, moving faster than I ever could have on foot.

The world around me was alive—whispering.

And for the first time since arriving in Narnia, I felt like I was exactly where I was meant to be.