Coming home (Last book of Sarafine)

Chapter 9

"Oh gosh, Sara, there you are."

"We've been looking everywhere for you."

Lucy, Edmund and Caspian tackled Sara with bear hugs as soon as they saw her. In the tight hold of her friends and family, the girl couldn't help but let out a laugh of relief. All the weight in her heart were lifted and it was again filled with happiness and joy.

"When did you guys come back?" She asked them.

"Few days ago." Lucy said.

"Yeah, straight into the water." Edmund mocked but was looking at Eustace as the younger boy rolled his eyes because of being teased.

"Oh, come on." Eustace groaned in the other's amusement.

Suddenly, Charles ran in with a serious expression on his face: his eyebrows furrowed, his lips pressed firmly to a thin line. He bowed and whispered something into Caspian's ears, and the young king's face turned serious as well. As his soldier went away, he turned to the confused people by him.

"The scouting group has just found a girl in the forest."

"What happened?" Edmund asked.

"I don't know. But it sure seems odd."

The Pevensies, Sara, Caspian and Eustace quickly picked up their paces and headed to the healers where this newcomer was being tended. Pushed pass the white cloth that separated the infirmary and the common area, they saw a pale girl with blonde, or nearly white, hair sitting on a wooden bed, her eyes were pale blue and her lips were unbelievably red. Her presence made Sara and Lucy unease, but the boys seemed to be fine with it. That was why the two girls hid themselves behind the broad shoulders and tall figures of the three kings.

"How is she?" Caspian stopped a healer who happened to be a faun.

"Your Majesties." She curtsied to them before informing "She just has a concussion for hitting her head somewhere and a few scratches. Other than that, she's completely fine."

"Good, because we need to talk to her." Edmund sighed.

They pushed past a few healers and helpers walking around the infirmary tending injured soldiers to approach the strange girl. Sara and Lucy sticked behind the boys as they strode across the little space. The girl looked up as soon as she saw someone coming and quickly got on her feet, tried to bow to them but stumbled. Peter caught her from falling, his hands on her waist and her nails dug into his shirt to gain balance. It may looked normal to others thinking that he was just helping, but to Sara it was different. It felt like this girl who had just come in and declared war with the Queens, and she couldn't help but rolled her eyes in disgust, which made Lucy chuckled under her breath.

"What?" Sara whispered as she nudged the younger girl.

"As much as I don't want to say this, you're jealous." Lucy whispered back.

"No, I'm not." Her eyebrows furrowed.

"You are." Lucy said "But you have the right reason to. I mean, he's your husband."

Their little talk didn't slip into others' ears, thankfully. Peter gently helped the girl back to her bed. She gave a sickening sweet smile and bowed her head slightly.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"Don't push yourself." Edmund said "You're still recovering."

"Who are you?" Caspian asked "Where are you from?"

"My name is Elise, that's all I remember." Her head hung low, as if she was embarrassed when she spoke with her soft voice.

Rolled her eyes once more, Sara left the infirmary with the confused Lucy trailing behind and received some strange looks from the Kings. But the boys soon returned to the conversation with Elise, pushing the issue of the Queens' attitude to the back of their mind.

Sara and Lucy walked to the outlook and sat down. Sara huffed and immediately, Lucy understood what was happening.

"I have a feeling that she's up to no good." Sara said.

"Really?"

"Yeah, you think so too?"

"Kind of." Lucy admitted "I don't know. But somethings in the past taught me that you're always right when it comes to feelings."

"I'm serious." Sara huffed again "I don't understand why the boys don't see it but I definitely don't like her."

"We need time to prove everything, Sara." Lucy put a hand on her shoulder "Don't worry. At least they still have the conscious people here."

Sara laughed at her remarks, but the weight in her heart was still there. It stayed stubbornly and made her ache deep inside. However, she couldn't falsely accuse Elise. Nothing could confirm her feelings about her. But there was one thing that she was sure about: for the next few days, the Kings would be caring about Elise a lot more than any normal King would do to a mere commoner.

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"You need to keep your balance on the horse." Sara's angry voice boomed in the training area "In battle, if you fall off your horse, you'll be in a dangerous situation. Stay on the horse for as long as you can!"

Afraid of their High Queen, the soldiers quickly got back on their feet and mounted their horse again. Sara observed them with a stern look on her face, her hands clasped behind her back as she strolled around to advice the new soldiers. Then, she turned to the archers who were being trained by Lucy. Lucy sure looked much more of an easygoing coach.

"Shoulders wide!" The younger Queen instructed and the archers followed "Steady your breath! Focus! Release!"

They released their hold of the arrows and watched as the pointy tips hit the target board in front. Most of the arrows hit the spot, but some just went out of the track. However, Lucy and the new archers were pleased.

"Just keep up the good work!" She said.

Because of the lost in men, the Kings and their council had reached a decision: train every willing men in the kingdom to become a soldier. That was also the reason why Sara and Lucy were in the training area: they agreed that they would train the new soldiers while Peter, Caspian and Edmund were stuck in multiple meetings. They were helped by Ash, Rogue and Charles, the three skilled sword men. Though Ash and Rogue spent most of the time with Sara while Charles decided to stick by Lucy's side.

On the other side, Elise, the newcomer, wasn't much of a fighter. She didn't want to help the healers either. Normally it wouldn't be a burden to Sara, but when that girl kept staying beside the Kings, well, that's a totally different story. Let's say, it didn't only bother Sara, it also got the irritated face out of the Lucy, Ash, Rogue and Charles.

"You think she's up to something?" Ash asked "Honestly, I don't like her."

"Yeah, something about her bugs me." Rogue said.

"Not something, everything." Sara fixed them "She has that terrifying similarity to someone, but I'm not sure who."

"Well, if she's really up to something, I bet the Kings are already under her spell." Charles agreed.

"No, I don't think it's just the Kings." Lucy sighed "It's most of the Narnians, except us."

From their resting place, they adverted their gazes to the Narnians hovering over Elise who was putting that sickening smile on her lips again. Peter, Caspian and Edmund walked by, and she smiled at them. That made Sara's fists clenched and teeth gritted.

If there's something going on in your sick mind, she thought. I'll surely find out what it is.

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