The High Queen II

The Home We Lost

The five Pevensies stood at the edge of the ruins, the wind from the sea sweeping across the crumbled remains of what had once been their grand kingdom. The eerie quiet only served to deepen the sense of loss that clung to the air.

Peter, ever the leader, began climbing a few weathered steps, surveying the wreckage with a mixture of disbelief and curiosity. Lucy wandered toward the sea, the water reflecting the same deep melancholy she felt. Eleanor stood still for a moment, breathing in the saltty fresh air. It all seemed so familiar, yet, she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"I wonder who lived here," Lucy whispered, her voice tinged with awe and sadness.

Susan knelt down, noticing something glittering in the dust. She carefully brushed away the debris and revealed a golden chess knight. She held it up, her face clouded with recognition. "I think we did."

Eleanor's stomach twisted. This wasn't just a ruin. It was their ruin. Their kingdom had fallen, and they hadn't been here to protect it. She clenched her fists, trying to push back the overwhelming guilt creeping into her heart.

The others gathered around to look at the chess piece in Susan's hand. Edmund's eyes lit up with realization. "Hey, that's mine... from my chess set."

Peter frowned slightly, still confused. "Which chess set?"

Edmund gave him a dry look. "Well, I didn't exactly have a solid gold chess set in Finchley, did I?"

Eleanor allowed herself a small smile at Edmund's remark. His humour had always been a way to cope with the heavy burdens they bore, but even now, she could see the pain in his eyes. Edmund had grown into a formidable leader during their time in Narnia, and seeing the ruins must have stirred the same unease in him that it did in her.

Lucy's gaze suddenly shifted to the ruined dais in the distance. Her eyes widened as something clicked in her mind, and without a word, she took off running.

"Lucy!" Peter called, concern in his voice.

The rest of them quickly followed her to the dais. Lucy was already standing on the crumbling platform, her eyes bright with realization.

"Don't you see?" she said, turning to them with an almost desperate excitement. "Imagine walls..." she said moving Peter and Eleanor to stand in certain places, "and columns there... and a glass roof."

Peter's expression softened as understanding dawned on him. He looked around slowly, the enormity of the truth settling in. "Cair Paravel."

Cair Paravel. Eleanor felt a sharp pang in her chest. It was not just a castle—it was where they had ruled in peace, where they had fought battles, where they had lived full lives. It was where they had laughed, cried, and where she had made her most difficult choices.

She blinked hard, forcing the memories down. This was not the time to dwell on the past. They had more important matters to focus on now.

Edmund crouched near a section of the wall, his sharp eyes scanning the stonework. His brows furrowed in thought as he noticed something strange. "Catapults."

Peter turned to him, puzzled. "What?"

Edmund straightened, gesturing to the rubble. "This didn't just happen. Cair Paravel was attacked."

Eleanor's body tensed at his words. Attacked. Her mind immediately went into strategic mode, piecing together the scenario. The destruction wasn't from age alone. There were clear signs of battle. This place had been besieged. She had led Narnia's armies, stood at the forefront of battles, and defended this land countless times. How had someone dared to attack their home?