Grace Tells Another Story

23

"I did," Rilian said, causing the Green-Witch to gasp. "And these, my true friends and my mother, have helped deliver me."

"We'd do it again, too," Jill and Clara stated in a low tone.

The Green-Witch laughed before saying, "And in this madness, who do you think you are?" She turned to Clara. "I thought you dead."

Clara's eyes narrowed. "Next time finish the job."

Rilian glanced at his mother before looking back at the Green-Witch. "I am Prince Rilian." He began walking forward. "Only child of Caspian, Tenth of that name, King of Narnia, and Clara, the most graceful Queen Narnia has ever known."

"Leave us," the Queen of the Underland ordered.

The guards left and the Green-Witch smiled as she walked up to Rilian. She spoke softly near his ear. "I had a purpose for you," she took his hand, "my Prince. Have we not planned together than you will advance at the head of my army?" She chuckled.

Rilian said in an almost blank tone, "And make myself King of some unfortunate nation that never did me wrong? Murdering their natural lords and holding their throne for you as a foreign and bloody tyrant." He pulled his hand away. "Now that I do know myself, I utterly renounce that plan as plain villainy. Now. Will you give us conduct out of your realm?"

The Green-Witch placed her hands on Rilian's cheeks, causing him to sigh. It took everything within Clara to let her son handle it alone. The Green-Witch pulled her hands away. Rilian turned and walked away.

"Hey!" the Green-Witch shouted as she lit a fire with her magic and the flames burned green. Instantly, Rilian drew his sword and Clara raised her hands, ready at any moment to use her magic.

The Green-Witch put a hand to the top of Rilian's sword and lifted it as she walked closer to him. As she passed the others, Eustace and Puddleglum stared at her as if in a daze. She stared at Rilian as she pushed his sword down and he glanced at the ground, sheathing it.

"So," the Green-Witch said as Rilian looked back up at her with wide eyes and she rounded him. "You are Prince Rilian of Narnia. Narnia. I have sometimes heard your lordship say that name in your mad ravings in your Chair, dear Prince. You think now that you are well, but this is all part of your sickness and you are very sick. There is no land named Narnia." Rilian breathed heavily and she lifted his hand. "The woman is a figment of your imagination."

"Oh yes there is, ma'am," Puddleglum stated as the Green-Witch turned and walked towards him. "Clara is very real. She and I happen to have lived there all our lives."

"Indeed." She raised a hand and Clara could have sworn she heard a slither. "Tell me, I pray you, where that country is."

Puddleglum glanced up. "It's up there. I don't know exactly where."

The Green-Witch looked up and pressed her hands together. "Up there? Is there a country hidden in the roof?"

"No. It's where you here call the Overworld."

The slither sounded again and the Green-Witch moved from Puddleglum. "And what or where," she passed Jill and stood in front of Eustace, "pray is this... Overworld?"

"Don't be silly," Eustace retorted. "As if you didn't know." Clara smirked lightly at Eustace's words, but it quickly fell. "It's up above where you can see the sky and the stars and the sun." the Green-Witch looked around, then back at Eustace. "Why, you've been there yourself. We met you there."

The Green-Witch dramatically placed her hands just below her collarbone. "I met you." She chuckled and momentarily placed her hands under Eustace's chin for a short while. "We often meet our friends in strange places when we," the slither sounded once again and there was a green mist, "dream. But unless all dream alike, you must not ask the others to remember it."