𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐨𝐦 || Edmund Pevensie

IX

"Nothing can hurt us after we are dead, or so we have been told."
- Patrick Rothfuss, Gone with the Wind

Narnia, 2555.

The soul was a tricky thing.

As her body washed up the shore, Olivia Pevensie could feel her soul stirring inside of her, touching her bones and flesh like it desperately wanted to get out. Something it had never done when she was alive.

She didn't know what to expect of death. Olivia never took much interest in the afterlife, but she didn't imagine washing up on the sea near a grand castle on a hill, with people hurrying toward her with spears and swords. Actually, she still couldn't believe she had died. The girl still felt oddly... living. 

The waves hugged her in a tender embrace, hesitantly letting her go to the sand. Olivia coughed the water in her lungs ( did she still have lungs? ), a little bit of sand and magic getting out, too.

Olivia imagined she would join the stars. She had been their ruler for a long time, and that was the fate of those chosen by Aslan after their deaths: some turned into stars, destined to protect the skies and watch over the people for the remainder of their existence. Crowned as their ruler, the girl expected no different. The stars were free to go back and forth from the sky to visit Aslan's country and Narnia whenever they wanted to: it was a beautiful destiny.

But, deep down, it wasn't the destiny she wanted. No. She wanted to be with her family: with Edmund, with Digory, with Peter, with Lucy.

She got none of those two options. Olivia clutched her wet dress, feeling the warm sensation of a Narnia velvet dress against her skin. Clearly, she wasn't a star: stars didn't have sand stuck to their nails. And clearly, she wasn't with her family either: she was alone.

The scorching sun hit her face like lightning, making her squint as she looked up, her hand covering her forehead. Olivia didn't remember Narnia being this hot; then again, she wasn't quite sure if she truly was in her Kingdom.

In the distance, a faint sound of galloping could be heard, but Olivia wasn't thinking straight, not with all the water she was expelling from her lungs. Her arms felt weak, frail; she couldn't handle her own weight.

She felt fragile, like mirror glass. A large shadow loomed over her, making the girl look up, only to be met with beautiful and electric brown eyes. A mysterious, handsome stranger looking at her like she was a rare type of fish.

Olivia rolled to her side. "If you're a Calormene wanting to kidnap me, just do it already."

"No, I-" The boy stammered in his words, stepping away from her. Beside him was a horse with a horn in its forehead– wait, a unicorn–, looking at her curiously. The blonde boy leaned in and whispered something to the Narnian, who nodded.

"Are you, mayhaps, Olivia?" Asked the boy, and she finally noticed the golden crown resting on top of his hair.

She squinted her eyes. A crown. Handsome. The same shape of Caspian's nose. "You've got to be kidding me. Tirian?"

"Oh. Good. Aslan has told you about me." He said, rubbing the back of his neck. "This makes it easier."

Olivia looked at him. Actually looked at him. She could feel her old Queen-ly instincts hitting again, her ability with battle strategies. God, she loved that feeling.

Tirian was tall; he should be about Susan's height. His hair was this light blonde, but not too light either. His arms were a little frail, very muscleless; that boy needed to work out. He had a sword by his side, but by the way he nervously hugged his elbow he clearly wasn't used to having it. His knuckles were loose and white; his breathing was ragged and unsteady. Nervous, weak. She would make a King out of him.

"Adjust your posture. Hand on the sword's hilt always." She said, standing up on her own, dismissing the hand he offered. She brushed the sand out of her dress. "Now. A bath and a warm bed sounds nice." She said with a smile.

Tirian widened his eyes. "Uh. Cair Paravel's this way–" And she didn't take one second to start walking.

God, he was going to have a lot of work.

━ ◦ ❖ ◦━

The silk of Narnian dresses was simply amazing.

The smell of the corridors of the newly built Cair Paravel was the same as all those years ago. She was brought back to the golden age all over again, and she loved every second of this feeling. Olivia was high on nostalgia.

Everything was still there. Her crown, her spear, her bag. Aslan had taken care of her stuff. She was back to being Queen Olivia the Warrior.

Now fresh and new, she walked inside the familiar corridors and made her way to the dining hall where Tirian and Jewel the unicorn awaited her. She entered the room, and they both stood up immediately, bowing to their Queen.

"Please, sit. I believe we need to talk."

They did as told. Olivia took her seat across from them both, a pleasant smile on her face. Tirian and Jewel seemed nervous, but Tirian more than Jewel. The unicorn was the royal advisor of the King since the one before Tirian, King Rillian II. It was prophesied that a Queen of old would be returning soon, and they had anxiously been waiting for it. Although they definitely didn't expect her to wash up the shore looking like a corpse.

"What role are you expecting me to take?" She asked directly and curtly. No chit-chat. Was she going to be Queen Olivia again? Or was she supposed to be a commoner, awaiting to be summoned to battle?

Tirian frowned. "I don't understand. Don't you want to take the throne again?"

"I do. That's exactly why I'm asking."

"The ancient law states that you are the High Queen, your majesty. When you return, you're the figure with the most authority, only behind Aslan." Jewel spoke.

She smiled. "Great. Just checking if you still abide by the ancient law."  

Tirian shook his head. "You're a weird person, you know that?"

"I didn't earn my crown by being normal." She answered with a sly smile, taking a sip of her tea.

Jewel nodded approvingly. "I like your way. I must ask, Your Majesty... did you truly create an entire island with magic?" Of course, he asked that because he had read many books talking about the Kings and Queens of old. And he was very curious if she had, in fact, conquered the tremendous green mist sent by Tash and created a beautiful island for the stars out of evil.

"Ah, yes! And how are the stars? Doing well?" Olivia chirped excitedly.

Tirian widened his eyes. "Uh, very. I mean, that's what the centaurs claim."

"Great." She said, flashing a sincere smile. "It feels nice to be back."

"Welcome back home, your majesty."

Bro there's a dog barking in front of my house, can someone grab them? They answer to Blue_Mxdnight

Anyways, I need to say something... 1K COMMENTS? OHMYFUCKINGGODILOVEYOUGUYS.

Also, I know this chapter took a little while, but I'll get back to publishing as soon as I can!! This chapter was small, yes, but we will get to the action soon. Thank you for the patience!!