Revolution || Narnia Fanfiction || thecallofnarnia & NaturallyNarnian

Chapter 1: 28 Days Later

Music, and a song: "Static on the Radio" by Jim White & Aimee Mann

David smiled at the crashing of the waves outside. In the past, he'd disliked being woken by them, sometimes not being able to sleep at all due to them, but here he found that the waves soothed him and gave him a peaceful sleep.

David continued to smile, eyes still closed, as he rolled onto his left side to open them and gaze at his nightstand. On it lay his crown and his ring, glowing in the radiant, winter sunlight that streamed in from the cold but clear morning. With Lilith absent, it was his new favorite sight to wake up to- somehow, gazing at his crown filled him with confidence for the day ahead, even though he'd had that in spades recently.

His smile opened happily to show his teeth. You are filled with determination.

David gently sat up, taking a deep breath as the crashing waves in the sun-soaked shoreline outside Cair Paravel made him feel at complete ease. The entire quick sequence of sights and feelings combined as they do every morning, as if to say, You are High King David the Incredible. This is your crown, your ring, and your land. Rise, and go forth and be as Incredible as you have always been.

David exhaled, content. As you always will be.

He exited his bedroom in full Royal attire and basked in the day's rays from the hallway windows, slowly walking down as he soaked in the sights and sounds of all the new possibilities of the day, and for an indiscernible amount of time, High King David the Incredible smiled, breathing calmly as he stared out the window.

"Your Majesty-"

"Oreius!" David jolted as he finally caught the Centaur standing next to him. "How long have you been standing there?!"

"Long enough to know you made the right choice asking me to stick around you. I'm surprised you haven't been slain in battle, or been assassinated, with your..."

"Truncated vision? Almost complete lack of peripheral vision, especially on my left?"

Oreius nodded. "Then I'll be sure to guard your left side, Your Majesty."

David sniffed, a sort of tic he'd recently began noticing he had, and took a deep breath.

"Friday...What a week, huh?"

"Your Majesty, it's Monday."

"Monday! What a week full of possibilities, huh? Do you know what that means?"

"The usual court assembly-"

David clapped happily before pointing a finger. "No! It means I can finally check out the Gardens because I finally remembered to!"

———

David's smile vanished.

Though his joyful demeanor had remained at recalling the magic that blanketed the Cair Paravel Gardens- a magic that kept all plants and flowers in full bloom all year round- an observation tackled its way through his recollection.

"...What happened to the chrysanthemums?" He asked softly in sad disbelief.

"I'm not sure what you mean," Oreius voiced. "They've always been well preserved, by order of Queen Susan the Gentle...they were her favorite color."

"No, I know that, but...aren't...aren't they yellow? Aren't they usually yellow?"

"Queen Susan's favorite color was purple, Your Majesty."

David's body wilted as both sadness and memories of the Narnia he abandoned to be where he was standing all washed over him.

He turned to look at the beautiful flowers again, murmuring sadly.

"It was...it was yellow, it..."

He blinked back tears.

"...Oreius...could you do me a favor and never let me in here again?"

The Centaur blinked. "Are you sure-"

"I just got over my own Pevensies," David said as he passed Oreius to walk out of the Gardens. "I can't afford to wallow in the absence of Lilith's Pevensies, too."

//////

"It has been 28 days since Lilith left Narnia, for reasons of which cannot be released to the public but are what I can assure you is necessary," David began explaining to his court. "That's almost one whole month so far where Narnia has not had a High Queen. Therefore, I will reiterate for the possibly chatty others in here: no one can know she's gone," he emphasized, looking at each member of the court. "I don't want so much as a single letter of affection to enter my space, because that means word is out that the High King is Queen-less, and things'll get worse. Everyone out there still doesn't trust me, most of you in here don't trust me, but at least trust me that word cannot get out."

David sniffed and relaxed in his seat, leaning back a little. "I'm sure you all have a lot of questions, as usual, so let's get them out of the way."

"You're right, Your Majesty. Most of us hold no trust in you at all. Why should we trust you?" It was a Duke that had spoken. David would later learn that he was known as Lord Rillingtoff of the Western Lantern Waste. He was an unlikable caricature of the Court who had only been kept in his role as he often fired pessimistic, harsh remarks around that made even the most optimistic of people think cynically.

There had been a handful of times where Rillingtoff's comments had been useful- this was not one of those times.

He reminded David of his father.

"You should trust me because Lilith trusted me," David said, plainly. "Regardless of your possibly less-than-stellar opinion of her, as you seem to hold for everyone else, she is still High Queen and she still indeed made me High King. That didn't just come from nowhere, she-"

"Come from nowhere, like you?"

"Technically, didn't the Pevensies come from nowhere?" David shot back.

A loud, double hand clap echoed across the hall. "A fair point but also an understandable lack of trust!"

Captain Heath Wethers had sat, begrudgingly, through many Court meetings over the past years, and could see that little else productive would come from this one. Where he had yet to make a decision about his opinion of the new High King, he had been right. Lilith had appointed the new Monarch, and that was good enough for Heath. "Rillingtoff, you old sour bag, isn't it past your bedtime?" The Captain called across the hall. "As it is for most of us, I'm sure. Come along!" Heath declared, opening the grand double doors himself. "That's plenty for you all to be gossiping and snarking about! Shoo!"

Once the Court had dispersed and those remaining had settled, the Captain approached the lone, occupied throne.

"You've handled them all well the past month, Your Majesty." Heath spoke, lightly but with sincerity. "I don't think we've met yet as I spend most of the days at sea. I report back to Lilith days after the moon's been fullest, but in her absence-" He gave a quick shrug and stood tall. "Nothing further East or down the South but scurries of- something along the Northern coastline. Movement, anyhow. Further inland than we could see from the ships, but might be worth a look. I could take a group with me soon and head up to scour it out through tonight, if you'll lend me a group?"

David nodded. "Seems smart, that's...thank you. I'll send a group at once."

"Great. And, uhm-" Heath cleared his throat, looking to Oreius. "You know that time it is-"

Oreius nodded before he was handed a small sack of coins from a Guard Faun and threw it to Heath. "It should all be there."

"You know I'll count. You won't be shorting me." Heath replied, but grinned, pocketing the coin bag. Then, he bowed slightly, already backing towards the door. "Pleasure to make acquaintance, Your Majesty. Excuse me to leave now...weeks on sea leave a man treasuring his...nights on land. If you need anything- well, I'm not usually about, but ravens find me quick."

Once Heath left, David turned his furrowed brows to Oreius, who had caught his expression.

"How do I send a group?"