𝐖𝐀𝐋𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐃 | ❝Hope is good, Hope will never disgrace, but make no mistake, Hope will hit you in the face!❞
In which the Just King becomes betrothed to a princess from a neighboring kingdom, only to fall in love with the prin...
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THE WAR WAS OVER, but the days only became busier. Even with the Pevensies and Aslan home to oversee Narnia's restoration, with the predicament of the overwhelming numbers of Telmarines remaining and the Narnians still coming out of hiding, it would take time, determination, and far too much patience before the kingdom saw real change.
Narnia's leaders dispersed in the days that came, managing affairs that aligned with their strengths. Odette joined Peter in sorting economic disputes while Edmund reviewed the kingdom's legislation from the past few decades. Lucy and Aslan supervised the kingdom's clean-up. Meanwhile, Susan and Caspian managed all socioeconomic affairs regarding Telmar's people. There was much to decide regarding whether the Telmarines wanted to stay in Narnia or not. To let them stay, to force them out, to determine who had betrayed and who was still a threat to Narnia.
The Pevensies, Caspian, and Odette melted into their places as if they'd never stepped away from their thrones. To them, there was plenty to do. To Hope, there was too much to do.
There was so much chatter about peace treaties and laws, trade and reversals of Narnian embargo, the economy, immigration, finances, restoration, rehabilitation. It was making Hope's head spin! How did the others handle so much responsibility all the time? She couldn't even remember her own name some days, and now she was expected to help rebuild a kingdom from scratch?
The castle was too suffocating, so Hope sought the open skies and the corners of Narnia only commoners infested. Corners no noble ever set foot in, really—not unless there was a special occasion.
On that warm morning, Hope followed the cobblestone path into the market square. The merchant's district just outside the castle was alive as Narnians and, surprisingly, some Telmarines joined forces to help with the reconstruction. It made slipping by unnoticed perfectly easy. The constant thump, thump, thumps of hammers and shouts across the paths were enough to drown out Hope's thoughts altogether.
Telmar reminded her so much of Wysteria. The architecture, the peoples' mannerisms, the music—all of it was so Wysterian. She knew she shouldn't be surprised, but she was anyway. It wasn't home, but it was sort of like the home Hope always longed to see. Telmar under the Pevensies' rule was just... Wysteria. Wysteria if it just had a little more... light, at least.
It made her that much more curious to see what the people were like now. If she was going to live among Narnia's rulers, she wanted to learn who exactly they would be leading.
However, Hope didn't last longer than a few minutes before it became extremely apparent that she was no longer a commoner.
"Your Majesty!" a faun squeaked. She dropped her basket of apples to bow. This caused those around her to ripple similarly, curtseying and bowing alike.
