Beyond the Horn

CHAPTER 17: ANNALIESE

Annaliese woke up squished on a bed with her sister, Susan, and Lucy. They'd all went to bed after a good cry but hadn't wanted to sleep separated. Now, though, uncomfortable and hot, Annaliese felt a quiver of excitement as early morning sunshine streamed in through the window.

"Wake up!" she called, crawling over Kara to get off the bed. "Wake up!"

Kara opened her eyes slightly and blearily blinked at her sister. "What's going on?" she asked in a raspy voice.

Lucy sat up and yawned. "Is it morning already?" her blue eyes flew wide open and she began to bounce up and down. "WAKE UP, SUSAN! Annaliese and Kara and Caspian are being crowned today!"

Susan got up immediately, grumbling a little, and that was when the knock at the door came. Annaliese and Lucy raced to see who would get there first. Annaliese won, but only because she was taller.

Four female fauns stood just outside, smiling pleasantly. The one in front spoke. "We are here to help the Queens and Ladies Annaliese and Kara prepare for the coronation."

Annaliese welcomed them in, and they introduced themselves. The faun who was there to assist Annaliese was named Jenya. Despite how kind she seemed, Jenya wasn't afraid to take charge and get down to business. She and the three other fauns arranged baths for each girl in separate rooms. Annaliese reveled in the warm, soapy water, and spent a good thirty minutes just soaking her hair and letting the layer of dirt and grime wash off of her. Afterwards, Jenya had her put on a robe and proceeded to gently comb the snarls out of Annaliese's thick brown curls. Not an easy feat, by the way. The faun then took a section of hair from either side and twisted each so there was a braided crown across the back of Annaliese's head. The rest of her curls hung in abundance down her back.

Next Jenya produced a gorgeous yellow gown. It had long, flowing sleeves that draped softly over Annaliese's arms. The skirt was ankle-length, a bit short so Jenya said, but Annaliese was grateful that she wouldn't be tripping on it. She was about to become queen, and it wouldn't do to fall halfway to the throne.

That was when it truly hit Annaliese. As she stood in the hallway just outside the throne room, waiting for her sister, the Pevensies, and Caspian, she realized that she was going to be crowned a real, honest-to-goodness queen. A queen! She had no idea how to rule. How was she ever going to do this?

Then she laughed. They had Aslan, and anyway, Caspian was born for this. He could surely help her.

Ah, Caspian. The thought of him made her smile and want to hide under a rock all at once. Her feelings for him had grown, but she was young, yet. There was plenty of time for such things as romantic relationships later. Caspian was a wonderful friend, and she felt content keeping him so for now.

"Annaliese!" Lucy called and ran down the hall in a lovely pale green dress that made her blue eyes stand out. "You look wonderful!" Her chestnut hair was pulled up in a high ponytail, soft ringlets hanging about her face.

Annaliese laughed and reached out to hug Lucy. "Thank you! So do you!" she bounced up on her toes. "I'm so excited, Lu, I can hardly stand still!"

Susan arrived them, gliding gracefully down the hall. Her dress was lavender, and became her fair complexion and dark hair well. She smiled, and she looked young and girlish, not so serious and queenly. "You both look lovely," she said with a careful hug to her sister and then to Annaliese. Then she sighed. "Where is Kara?"

Lucy shrugged her shoulders but couldn't seem to stop beaming. "I am sure she'll be coming soon! Oh, Su, isn't this thrilling? Annaliese is becoming queen! Caspian is becoming king! And Kara—" she stopped. "Oh, now I see a problem. Kara does not like to be told what to do." She frowned worriedly.