Mist and Mystery at Calormen's Grove

The Feast, Part II

15. The Feast, Part II

Reepicheep's small feet made no sound as he ran swiftly across the rich, soft carpets in the long hallway. Far off he could hear the feast from the downstairs floor, but he barely registered the merry sounds of singing and laughter. In the mouse's small head there was only room for one concern at the moment, and that was of the youngest Pevensie queen.

He rounded a corner and steered towards Lucy's bed chambers. As he reached the grande oak door, Reepicheep hesitated. He was a brave mouse, a soldier in heart, but this – offer a loved one comfort – he was unaccustomed to. Still, he had pledged himself to her protection and though she was not in mortal danger now, she could still need his support and friendship.

Slowly, the mouse stood on his hind legs and knocked on the door. There was no reply, but Reepicheep could hear someone's muffled sobs on the other side. Instead of attempting another knock, he pushed the thick door open and slowly entered.

"My lady?" he called gently and blinked his eyes to adjust them to the sudden darkness of Lucy's room. She had apparantely not bothered to light any candles in her despair.

In the pale light of the moon from the window, Reepicheep could see her tossed form across the bed on the other end of the room. The girl's sobs were muffled by a pillow and she still had not registered her soldier's entrance.

"My lady, are you alright?" Reep asked once more as he walked towards the bed and jumped up to the top of her night stand. From this angle, he could see the state of mind Lucy was in more clearly. She lay in her undergown, the fancy dress thrown aside in a pile on the floor, seemingly disposed in anger. Her face was pressed deep into the pillow and Reepicheep felt for the young woman.

"King Peter meant you no harm, my Queen," the mouse said and hopped onto her bed to sit on the untouched pillow by her head. Her sobs had lessened but she still did not move from her position. "He is your elder brother and he loves you dearly, he means no harm. He might have overreacted, though he means only to protect and keep you safe."

"No!" Lucy practically shouted into her pillow. "He means to treat me like a little girl! I'm not a little girl!"

Reepicheep pondered her words for a second. "Still, my Queen, you are the youngest and smallest of the four of you. It is only natural-"

At this, the brunette finally lifted her head from the pillow and swiftly sat up. Rage danced in her eyes as she beheld the mouse, "Natural?! I am not a little girl, Reep! I wish at least one of you could see this. I am tired of being called little and young. It implies I'm defenseless and weak. I'm neither little nor weak! I am growing up, just like the others! I'm fourteen! If I was back in England, I would have been treated with far more respect and dignity than I am in Narnia. I wish Peter would stop behaving like our parents, I hate him for it!"

"Now, now," the soldier mouse was still a bit startled by her sudden tantrum, but tried to calm her with his reassuring words. As his brain cells tried to wrap itself around her words, he distantly played with the handle of his sword. "You don't hate any of your siblings. Peter, Susan and Edmund are all only looking out for you, they want you to be safe. As do I."

"You?" Lucy's eyes flashed with something the mouse was very unaccustomed to from the young queen, for this time, her anger was directed at the mouse. "You're on their side, are you? I thought you were my friend, but you're just like them, aren't you? You swore your allegiance to myself and Susan, and why? To protect us! To keep us safe! You find me little and defenseless, too. You too need to understand I am not as small as you make me out to be! I do not need protection from a mouse! I can handle myself, so please – leave me alone! Go eat some cheese and leave me alone!"