labour

time

warning: this story contains details of domestic vïolence and emotional trauma, please look after yourself and do not read if any of this may affect you <3

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caroline's pov

A carefully crafted escape plan, that is all this trip would amount to. I could not hold out for much longer, and the venture to the extravagance that is Cair Paravel could not be more perfectly timed.

The surroundings were no less than extraordinary, as Narnia had always been. The trees that loomed above us like noble giants whispered sweet words of comfort and reassurance, keeping a careful eye on the ongoings below.

I didn't carry much, all I would need to survive these two weeks was my beloved journal that lay comfortably within my satchel, cocooned like porcelain in tissue.

As Alexander and I neared the palace, my mind couldn't help but wander to the past that I had desperately tried to erase. I was only 15, lost and alone in the realms of Archenland, barely able to regulate my own breathing. Those very same trees that now warmed my soul, once entrapped it, sealing my airways shut and stuffing my nose with dew.

If it was not for my dearest husband, Alexander -the brother of King Lune- I would not have survived another night. But he found me. He saved me. Thanks to him, I am a royal. I am a princess of Archenland. And that is all I will ever be.

Although appearing as though I was in deep ponder, not a single thought was tossed between my synapses. This visit was planned meticulously by my husband, we were on strict duty to form an alliance between worlds, on behalf of King Lune himself, as he had fallen despairingly sick. The gates crashed open and yet I dare not flinch, my hands gripping the reigns of my steed until my knuckles turned an unattractive milky shade.

I wish I could entirely recall the first meeting, though it has escaped me. Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, those were the names of my hosts, the ones of which everyone knew.

Their home was magnificent, a true sight. The windows were stained in a waterfall of colour, depicting the Kings and Queens themselves and their greatest achievements, proudly displayed and complimented by hues of red and gold.

The Narnian's were equally as pleasant, my appointed guardian was a dwarf, aptly named Solace. No name could befit a being more, she was the epitome of joy and consolation; my spirit lifted knowing that she would be beside me during my stay.

As for the Monarchs themselves, they are deeply complex creatures. Maybe it was the fact that they weren't from our world that gave them a mysterious yet endearing presence, or maybe it was just in their character.

Either way, they were far from distasteful. High King Peter was a confident and selfless young man, adored by many for his ability to seemingly appeal to all. He was outwardly kind- sympathetic to the current state of Lune- although I believe there to be a fragment of immovability about him.

High Queen Susan. A logical thinker and strong headed. Her title of the Gentle was not overtly incorrect, her nature was undeniably soft and wise. Yet I sense that she dislikes a lack of control. Maybe it was in the way she corrected her brothers or the way in which she picked at the skin of her hands. Despite this, she was entirely what you would expect on the surface.

There is little to note about King Edmund, he was labelled the Just and yet my smile felt forced in his presence. A cynical boy at first glance, around my current age of 19, and undesirable company. On the contrary, he'd gifted me a mischievous glance once or twice during our introduction so maybe he could be charismatic after all.

Finally there is Queen Lucy, the youngest Pevensie. I don't believe there to be a single aspect of the Queen that I dislike, she is a pure soul with good sense and a heart of gold. My observations of each royal lead me to some interesting theories of their characters, yet not Lucy. She hid nothing, her genuine nature and curiosity was far from a facade, I must admit my concerns that she may be easy to manipulate and break in the future, however.

Time has its own flow, and therefore its own beauty, for it can not be commanded like water by wind, it merely passes with unique divinity.

However, time can be unreliable. For in some moments a minute can pass in seconds, and others in hours.

My existence as Princess of Archenland, though only 4 years, passed as though it was 10. Yet now, the hour that it took before we were all surrounding the table, had passed as though it was an instant.

Could it possibly be the whirring cogs of my own mind that caused time to pass me by, or simply the exhaustion from my journey? I made a note to rest myself adequately.

"Caroline?"

Suddenly the air fell stagnant, as did the ticking of the grandfather clock, forcing me to recall my own presence in the room.

"Queen Susan has asked you a question."

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