~By the Lion's Mane: See You Again~

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

We cantered through the trees, the horses’ hooves thumping softly on the leafy ground. Sunlight filtered down through the newly green canopy and warmed my skin pleasantly. Birdsong filled the treetops, and was accompanied by the singing of my maying party. These excursions were a common diversion for my son and me now, and we enjoyed a ride through the woods in good company. We weren’t hunting, but just riding and singing for the fun of it, and often stopped for a picnic on the way.

As we approached a meadow, I heard the gurgling of a stream, and brought the merry little party to a halt from my position at the front of the group, seated on Anduril’s broad back.

“This looks like a lovely place for lunch, don’t you think?” I asked Rilian and the others, over the sounds of happy conversation and singing. They agreed and so we dismounted, setting out blankets to sit on for our picnic.

I sat with my son, spreading my skirts out around me. We made pleasant conversation with the others while eating the meal we had packed for midday and drinking watered wine from our canteens.

I absently fingered the garland of leaves around my head, set upon my red curls. It was wonderful to be about in May, just to be riding in the woods with friends, rather than in the colder hills of Ettinsmoor, trying in vain to discover the root of the growing unease in the earth. For now we could just relax and enjoy the spring weather and sunshine.

When the rest of the party had finished eating, some of the squires who had come along began to play their flutes and sing old Narnian ballads. I sang along softly, smiling at the carefree manner in which they sang somewhat tipsily.

This carried on for a while before I felt the wine’s effects beginning to set in, and I yawned. I lay back on my blanket, gazing up the blue, cloudless sky and listening to the music. Before I knew it, I had drifted off to sleep, and the others, not wanting to disturb me, moved downstream a bit to let me rest. I remember hearing Rilian laughing at a squire’s tale just before I fell asleep.

I was awakened by a sharp, sudden pain in my hand, which, in my sleep, I had stretched out under my head and along the ground. My eyes sprang open to see a great serpent-like creature staring at me, its fangs descended. It was a deadly, venomous green and was long and shining, with two strange, short legs with which to drag itself along the ground. But its eyes were what struck me; they had vertical reptilian pupils like a snake would, but this creature’s eyes held something deeper, more than just animalistic instinct. As I took all this in the instant I opened my eyes, a burning, tingling sensation began to creep up my arm from my hand.

I glanced down to see two puncture marks in my palm from the serpent’s fangs, and screamed. My hand was deathly pale and growing more painful by the second. The serpent began to glide away from me along the ground, disappearing into the undergrowth as Rilian and the others came running.

Rilian crouched by my side. “Mum? What--?” He caught a glance of the poisonous green monster and drew his sword, rushing after it.

By now, the burning, tingling sensation had spread to my shoulder, and I could no longer feel my hand. It was like a fire had been lit in my blood and was spreading throughout my body, steadily consuming me. The group around me was frantic; several had run off into the trees to search for healing plants, and the others were debating whether to cut my wrist and try to bleed the venom from my body.

My faithful companion Anduril pushed through the encircling ring of people and neighed fearfully. His liquid brown eyes were rimmed in white as he prodded my limp arm with his pearly horn.

“The unicorn! Look, he’s saying to use his horn!” one lady cried.

“No!” I protested, trying to shake my head feebly. I wouldn’t let him sacrifice his horn for me a second time.

It was growing harder to breathe now. The venom was stealing its way through my body with a burning, fiery course, leaving numbness in its wake. I took another labored breath and called out for Rilian.

He returned to my side, his face red and angry. “It got away, Mother, but I’ll find it, I swear it!” he promised fiercely, crouching by my side.

I managed to take one of his hands in mine, and struggled to find the breath to speak to him. “Shh! No, Mother, you’re going to be fine! We’ll get you to a physician; just try to be still in the meantime!” Rilian told me.

“No! Listen to... listen to me. I love you Rilian, more... more than anything else in the world...” The poison was burning in my chest; I could hardly breathe anymore. Even as my diaphragm was becoming paralyzed in the venom’s wake, my heart continued to beat, but ever so slowly—thump......thump........thump.................thump.....................

I was dying, I finally acknowledged in my mind. Panic gripped me, pushing back the pain with sudden adrenaline. I had to tell Rilian, he needed to know...

With a gasp, I said, “Rilian... your father... I...” Sobs from some of the ladies. My sluggish heart.

Thump.....................thump.....................................thump........................................

Blackness began to creep in the edges of my vision and it felt like there was something heavy sitting on my chest, suffocating me. The venom scorched my heart, I felt the heat of Rilian’s hand clutching mine, his tears on my skin, mingling with the soft tickle of Anduril’s whiskers...

Thump.......................................thump.................................................................thump.

And then it seemed as if the pain were fading away, growing less. I no longer felt the poison burning my veins, smothering me, squeezing my heart. I felt light as air, and there was no more hurt. I sighed in relief.

I rose up, feeling better than I had in a long time. I didn’t feel too hot, or too cold... I didn’t feel much of anything, actually. Rilian’s warm hand, or tears, or Andy’s whiskers, or the sun warming my skin...

Then I looked down on them, gathered around my body. I was lying on that blanket, pale and still, my red hair startlingly contrasted against my white skin. The ladies were clutching handkerchiefs to their faces, muffling sobs, while the squires and lords hid their tears and stood there, looking lost and unsure. My silver unicorn was nudging my cheek gently with his velvety muzzle, emitting pained nickers.

And Rilian, kneeling next to me, tears cascading down his cheeks, holding his mother’s limp hand and looking so young and vulnerable and lost.

It was strange, feeling emotion without a body. If I had still inhabited mine while looking down upon that scene, my heart would have clenched in grief for my friends and my son. I wanted to go to hug Rilian, to comfort him, but when I tried, he couldn’t feel it. It was only as if a small breeze had come and ruffled his hair.

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They wrapped me gently in my blankets and took me home to Cair Paravel. As the sun set in the west and washed the castle in its golden light, the party presented my body to Caspian. I watched as he stood, emotionless and pale and silent as he took it in.

Then he shouted in a ragged voice that tore from his lungs, “Out! All of you, get out!” and they fled from the hall, all except for Rilian, who stood silently in a corner as he watched Caspian, enraged with grief, throw things about, smashing anything he could pick up against the walls, before he collapsed on the ground next to my body, shaking as he cried.

I watched them bury me, surrounded by May flowers and sunshine, in a soft, spring green dress. They arranged me to look like I was sleeping and laid my sword in my hands, like a proper knight. And my husband and son stood silent and pale, with dark circles under their eyes, and all of Narnia grieved.

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A/N: Wow, so don't hate me for this! I promise the story's not over yet!

PS: Is it weird that I really enjoyed writing this chapter? Haha