The Lost Legacy

Chapter 7: The Starry Friend

One thing that people did not notice, or refused to interpret, was how Nina and the Professor were great friends. Sophie managed to find the hints the first week that she was in Narnia but never addressed the issue. They never officially admitted it and people never asked, probably because all of us were scared of Nina's anger. Bottom line was that Nina and the Professor were great friends. They took their job as advisors to Caspian and Sophie very seriously. They set a lunch date one afternoon to discuss the inner details of the wedding plans.

But what actually happened?

"No, the dress is not that grand."

"We cannot have hyacinths around."

"I am not going to order a flower shower by Glenstorm. That is absurd!"

Caspian and Sophie shared a look and tried to control their smiles. More than them, the people that surrounded them were more worried about the wedding going well. Caspian and Sophie had talked about this and came to one conclusion - they loved each other. It didn't matter how the wedding was going to go. 

Any how, they had another plan as well, where they would get married to each other secretly if everything was overwhelming.

"There are going to be two ceremonies." Nina told them once again, addressing the actual wedding as she spread Alessandro's sketchworks. "One in the main hall as per the Telmarine traditions and one in the courtyard to honour Sophie's wishes."

"Glenstorm needs the two of you," the Professor nodded at Caspian and Sophie sitting next to each other holding hands. "To check the location and see if it will be to your liking. I'm sure it absolutely beautiful but this is your day. I will need to send your opinions to the wedding planner soon,"

That was when Sophie intervened. "I'm sure that it will be. After all, both of you have been planning this for almost a year."

"And so have Trumpkin and Glenstorm. The entire castle seems to have had participated in this, which only makes it the biggest event ever as you want it to be," Caspian said. "All we want to do is walk down the aisle and say our vows."

Sophie blushed when he said that. The thought of walking down the aisle and trying not to trip during that had her worried. Then there was the royal dance that awaited her, but she wasn't too worried about it. Caspian was going to be with her then.

"Why do we have two weddings, by the way?" Sophie asked, her left hand raised in the air as if she was going to answer the teacher's question. "Only for refreshing my memory."

The Professor chuckled. "We thought it would be best if there was a ceremony that would honour both the traditions that you are bound to. The Telmarine traditions will be followed in the ceremony at the new castle and the Narnian tradition along with your," he pointed to Sophie. "....traditions from the Other World will be acknowledged at the other ceremony."

Caspian squeezed Sophie's hand to comfort her. "It will be fun. We will have two cakes because there are two ceremonies."

Sophie laughed. "That's true. Anything for cake, right?"

"As long as it is with you."

"Anyway." Nina cleared her throat, not wanting the two young people to get embarrassed by their young romance. "At the end of the day, Your Majesties, we need you to go through certain locations before we confirm the plans. I'm not letting you near the food preparations. Both of you." She warned them, having caught them sneaking out with food while she was around. "I will take no such actions into leniency from here on."

That was when there was a knock at the door. Evelyn walked in and curtsied. "Nova Lilliandil has arrived, Your Majesties."

"You go ahead. I will finish our confirmations here and meet you." Sophie kissed Caspian's cheek and ran outside, dragging Evelyn with her.

Let me rewind a bit.

In the years since they returned from the Dawn Treader's adventure, Lilliandil and Sophie had been talking to each other through the celestine fountain that stood in their garden. Coriakin had said in one of the letters that the water in the fountain was enchanted and allowed her to connect with whom she wanted. Sophie had invited Lilliandil for the wedding as they became really great friends in the time that they spent. She told Sophie a lot about her parents and about how she was proud of her for how she lived her life in the Other World.

Sophie ran to the front door of the castle to greet her old friend. The blue aura that she had around her in Ramandu's Island was missing, for the source of that aura lay with the island itself. She looked like another human when she was away from the island, except for the fact that she had starwhite hair.

Sophie practically ran to pull her into a hug and was glad that the star stood firmly on the ground. "Oh, I'm so glad that you are here!"

Lilliandil hugged her back. "I'm glad to be here, Sophie."

Of course, Sophie told her not to call her 'Your Majesty' unless they were on official meeting terms. That was the same courtesy she extended to almost everyone while maintaining the boundaries of the changes in relationships that she had to keep in mind. 

This was the first time Sophie and Lilliandil were meeting each other in person in a few months. She was busy with watching over people and other Starverse work that humans weren't supposed to know about. Whatever it was, it was important.

When Sophie pulled back, Lilliandil cupped her face. "What's wrong?"

Sophie hadn't realised that she had tears running down her face until Lilliandil pointed it out. There was no point in me shrugging it off as nothing. "Everyone keeps leaving me." Sophie held her shoulders to keep them from shaking. "I'm so glad that you are here though. I feel like you are the only one that can keep everything normal."

Lilliandil was in fact her star saviour. She was the only connection that Sophie had to her past that she could talk to in person. "Well," She looped her arm with Sophie's. "I'm here now. You don't have to waste precious tears on a star like me. I cannot go anywhere and I'm only glad to be here at this very moment. I have Coriakin's gift with me but you are not allowed to open it until the day of the wedding. I don't want you to start crying."

Sophie let out a shaky laugh. "I'm emotional."

She tugged on her arm. "That you are, Sophie. That you are. Shall we get started with the practice of your powers?"

"I'm excited to access your powers. I better shine this time."

Lilliandil laughed. "We'll see about that."

*****

I love how everyone is helping Sophie with her powers. My girl has come so far. She has always felt a connection to water and now she can control it. It is about time she truly believes in herself to let other people care for her :")