𝐏𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐀𝐍 || 𝐧𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐚 [ I ]

Chapter 19

Muriel had always hated saying goodbye.

From early on the young girl had hated it when her brothers would go away for a few days, travelling with their mother and seeing more of Archenland. She was never allowed to go with them because she was too young to ride a horse and too easily bored by sitting in a coach all day. She had hated watching her brothers leave with their mother while she'd to stay at Anvard castle. She had hated how Dar would promise to bring something back for her and how Darrin would tease her because she couldn't come with them, yet is was Darrin who she would miss most.

Before she left Archenland to help the Narnians, Muriel had feared saying goodbye to Darrin and Killian. It had been very hard. The fear of never returning to them had roamed through her head then. She had told herself to stop doubting so much, of course she would return to them. But wasn't that exactly what her older brother Dar and her mother had said when they went away for one last time?

And now Muriel herself had been two years away from home. Two years without Killian, without her father and without Darrin. Would they believe her to be dead?

Muriel had made new friends, she had gotten used to the Narnian landscapes, but a part of her still felt very homesick everyday. She thought about Darrin a lot, wondered if her brother had found himself a wife yet. It may have sounded odd, but Muriel hoped he had met a smart and kind woman with whom he could be happy. Even if that meant she'd to keep to her end of the bargain and jump from a window. But she would do anything to return home safely, she would leap without a second thought.

She also thought about Killian a lot. Peter somewhat reminded her of him, same calm and mature demeandor. Muriel presumed it was because Peter was the oldest sibling that he acted the way he did, sometimes becoming a bit hot-headed but only because he cared for his family. Killian however, had no brothers or sisters, only his father. That's why Killian enjoyed spending time with Muriel so much, he had no one else.

Muriel felt bad when she thought about her best friend. She hoped he had found someone to spend his time with. To her, cooking with his father in the kitchen didn't seem like the best way to spend all of his days. Maybe it had been easier if he'd come along with her, then neither had had to say goodbye...

Too engrossed in her whirlwind of thoughts, the princess of Archenland hadn't noticed Susan entering the room. The Gentle Queen coughed softly, startling Muriel slightly. The latter turned around, having to turn her whole body around to see who had entered the room. The stone under her felt warm from her body heat now and the princess wondered how long she had been sitting there.

Her question was answered when Susan smiled kindly at her. "We're leaving soon, Lucy wants you to see Destier. She says it will stop you from worrying so much."

"Destier?"

Susan hummed, an amused twinkle present in her eyes, "Caspian's horse."

"Oh, of course, how could I forget."

Some days ago, she'd told Caspian what had happened on her way to Narnia, how her horse, her Ava, had died. It still hurt when she thought about it. She'd gotten Ava from her mother when she was old enough to ride, she'd considered her her best friend. Caspian had understood, he too cared that deeply for his loyal companion. He had 'introduced' her to Destier, letting her feed him as many apples as she'd liked. Muriel had to agree with Lucy, maybe seeing the horse would give her some sense of relaxation.

And thus the princess stood up, leaving the warm spot and her worried thoughts behind as she started walking with Susan.

They both walked in silence. The girls hadn't spoken very often, sometimes sharing short conversations whenever they passed each other in the hallways of the How, but never more words than that. She didn't know why, but Muriel felt herself drawn to Lucy more. Maybe it was because she'd always wanted a little sister instead of older brothers or maybe because she'd never had the courage to talk to girls her age, to girls like Susan. In Archenland all they did was stare at her when she passed by, whispering under their breath because they were not used to Princesses like her.