The Cold Hearted Queen

Same yet Different

Disclaimer: Most of these characters and some settings do not belong to me. They belong to C.S. Lewis.

Caspian

The women pushed us forward up the hill, none to gently. The lady with the brown hair, who seemed to be the leader, led the group, her sword drawn. It was unbelievably sharp and gleamed harshly in the sun. I knew we had no chance to escape and fight, even if we had had time to prepare for the capture. We were hopelessly outnumbered and something told me these women were no stranger to blood. They fought for a living.

I glanced at Drinian out of the corner of my eye. He was being led at sword point by a blond haired girl who was rather short and skinny. We had no chance of communicating or of making a plan. 

I wondered at this queen we were being taken to see. The most we could hope for was that she be merciful, but from what I had seen from her soldiers, I seriously doubted it. I could only hope that she would not immediately order our execution.

"Halt!" the leader's strong voice cut through my thoughts. I and the other men from the Dawn Treader were pushed forward. My eyes widened as I stared down at the city that lay in front of us. It was beautiful but treacherous. All buildings were made with marble, gleaming in the harsh glare of the sun. The streets were wide and clean and girls walked in complete harmony, talking serenely at each other.

The treacherousness lay in the defensive barrier that stood against the city, armed with spikes and traps. They were excellently designed so that only an experienced soldier could see them. The girls all had scabbards swinging from their hips, or a bow slung over their soldiers, or perhaps a wide array of knives in their belts. In the distance, I could see an arena and seeing the people that were streaming into it, I could guess that a fight was about to begin.

This was not a good place to be captured in.

The leader was talking urgently to another girl, dark haired and tiny. I could make out only snatches of their conversation.

"But Carma, they're men!" the dark haired girl whispered to the leader, who was evidently named Carma.

"Lira, I know, but they just appeared out of no where! No one comes here without a purpose. We must consult the queen,"Carma argued back.

Their conversation continued in this tone for a time until Lira finally surrendered. 

"If these cause trouble, then be aware that it is not my fault," were her optimistic words of parting.

We were then led downhill until we got to the barrier. There, Carma held another rushed discussion with the sentries standing on guard, not unlike the one she had with Lira, until we were allowed in.

We were openly gawked at as we paraded through the city, Amenna we heard it was called. Some girls showed mere curiosity in their eyes, while others glared with open resentment.

I wondered briefly where exactly we were going as we led through all of Ammena. I had seen no grand palace from the top of the hill, no place I thought a ruler of a nation reside. My thoughts continued in this vein for a few moments until we reached the very edge of the city. Tall, long walls surrounded the outskirts and these were lined with ramparts and spikes, all cleverly constructed so they could be used for their maximum purposes.

We entered a tunnel right in the wall. After climbing several winding steps down, we were finally pushed into the room at the end. We stopped and stared. 

The room was high domed with slender columns and climbing plants. Reclining couches littered the room in tasteful spaces. One large chandelier and several smaller ones hung from the ceiling. There were four doors at the other end of the room.

Carma walked purposefully to a door which looked as if it had been constructed with solid goal. She rapped smartly on it. From inside, they heard the tinkle of a bell.

"Well? Get in! Don't just stand there gawping,"one of the guards ordered in a tired voice.

That's when I first saw the queen. I felt as if I had had a knife thrust through my heart, because I knew that face, had gazed upon it for so long.

It was... Lucy.

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But there was something different about her. When she had visited, she had been only fifteen. The queen in front of us was no less than twenty. Lucy had lost the last traces of childish roundness in her cheeks, her golden hair had lengthened, her figure had developed. But the thing that was most different about her were her eyes.

As long as I had known her, Lucy's bright blue eyes had been full of joy and merriment. They were warm and welcoming, with a friendly glint in them. Just catching her eye for a second lightened my soul.

Now the warmth was gone, replaced with coldness. They were stormy, dark, and angry. Not a trace of the old cheer remained. 

She had turned toward us when the door opened. When she saw me, her eyes widened and her mouth fell slightly open. For a moment, I saw the Lucy I had known less than a week ago. The shock vanished and she became the regal queen once again.

"General Carma, why are they here?" she hissed, her voice cool and composed.