Fading - Suspian story.

Chapter Ten

2 Corinthians 11:14 (ESV)

And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.

After mother wake me, I am dressed by my servants. Lowly creatures, only alive by my mother's mercy. When I am ready, I walk to the throne room. My mother shining brightly, is smiling at me. 'Child, you are beautiful' She says and I curtsy for her. She takes my hand and places something on my head. It feels light weighted and cold. 'A shimmering crown for my precious daughter' My mother says proudly and I turn around, facing the people in the throne room. They cheer for me. I smile at them. 'Come' Mother says and guides me to the courtyard. Her carriage is waiting on us, the reindeers are impatience. Mom smiles and gently pat one of them on der nose. 'Calm' The servants help us climbing into the carriage. A dwarf from the black mountains is our coachman. Mother puts a blanket over me. 'Thank you' I look at her, she is also smiling. I notice that today she is very happy.

The coachman hits the air with his whip and the reindeers begin to run. The road towards Cair Paravel is very comfortable and enjoying. The woods in Narnia are very beautiful. I look back and I see we leave a trail of snow behind us. After two hours Cair Paravel comes into sight. Mother mumbles something under her breath, but she notices me and smiles. 'And? What do you think of it?'

'It is stunning!'

If we come closer by the castle, more and more people come out of their houses. I can hear them talk but it doesn't sound happy. With full speed we ride under the castle gate and stop in the courtyard. The dwarf helps mother out and she takes my hand. 'Come child'

Soldiers run past us, towards the throne room. 'She is coming!' I hear one scream.

'What happened to the gentle queen?'

'Where is queen Lucy?'

'Did you see the markings on her arms and upper back?' I can hear every word, every whisper and by the time we arrive into the throne room everyone is dead quiet.

Three boys are standing before five thrones. One, with brown eyes and black hair stand in the middle of the five. The other two; one with blond hair and blue eyes looks with a sadness at me, I never saw before. The other with also dark hair has his fists clenched and looks at mother. 'Su?' The man with brown eyes steps forward but the blond one stops him. 'Fools!' Mother pulls her staff out, she had it hidden under her cloak. The boys step fearfully back. 'Mother' I lay my hand on her arm. She looks at me. 'What are you doing?' She begins to laugh. 'May I introduce you to my daughter, princess Susan, soon to be Empress of Narnia' I feel the whole room tense. People begin to whisper until mother shouts for silence. 'Susan' The blond one steps forward, his sword in his sheath. He holds his arms before his chest. 'I am not going to hurt you' He looks back to the two other boys. 'Is Lucy with you?' He asks me. I look at mother. 'I am sorry, but who do you mean?' The boy seems at a sudden frozen. He mumbles something. He looks back and forth between me and the two boys. 'Are you going to introduce yourself?' Mother hisses to him. The blond boy bows his head for me and takes my hand and kisses it with a lovingly gesture. 'Princess, I am king Peter, the magnificent' He looks me into the eye and I see pain flashes through them. The boy with the dark hair steps forward and bows also, he kisses my hand also with gentleness and his eyes lock with mine. Their I see also pain. 'I am king Edmund the Just, your Highness' Edmund takes his pain next to Peter and I see they pat each other on the back. It seems like they comfort each other. At last the boy with the brown eyes bows for me, deeper than the other two did. He kisses my hand also longer and more lovingly. 'Princess, I am king Caspian, the seafarer king' I nod at them. 'Thank you for your kind gesture' Mother looks approvingly. Caspian, Peter and Edmund sit down on their thrones. Their faces are emotionless. 'Please send everyone out' Mother orders and Peter nods with his head to his guards. They let everyone out of the room. Mother begins to laugh, hard and sinister. I flinch. 'Susan, dear can you strap of your dress a little, so they can see your back' I do what I am told and turn my back to them. I hear them gasp. 'What did you do! And where is Lucy?' I quickly turn around and see it was Peter who said that. I pull my dress up again and Caspian looks at me, tears burning in his eyes. 'Peter, your little sister is my new gain for my garden of statues. And what Susan concerns. She is my daughter' I see them trembling in anger. 'Susan, snap out of it! Do you hear me!' Peter yells at me and I step fearfully back. 'Su, you are our sister' Edmund looks at Peter and then back at me.

What?

'Susan' Caspian his voice is like music to my ears. It sounds familiar. They all do, this place is. 'You fools!' Mother screams. 'She is mine forever! I took one of children of the Great Lion away!' On the moment she screams that sentence a roar is heard. I fall on my knees, not knowing what is happening. 'Mom!' I scream in fear and in an instant she I with me. Her hand on my shoulder for comfort. 'It's alright child' she says, but I can hear the fear in her voice. 'Release her!' Peter stands before his throne, his sword drawn. 'Too later, your sister is mine' Mother hisses and she holds me tight. Cold winds surrounding us and with a blink of an eye we are back home.

I breath deep in and out. Trying to keep my calm. Mother screams with fury. She walks angry up and down. She screams again and now two maids appear. 'You called my empress?'

'Yes, get the princess out of here' They walk quickly towards me and help me up. Both are supporting me. 'Come princess, we have a nice cold bath for you'

'Y-yes, thank you' I say and they rush me to the bathroom.

That night I can't sleep. The words the three kings spoke today are haunting me. I am their sister.. and I have another sister, here in the garden of statues. That means she is frozen.

But that isn't possible. I am the daughter of the empress. But how harder I think, how less I can remember. I can only remember today, it seems that the memories of my childhood are gone.

With a sign a step out of bed, putting on my coat and boots and make my way to the garden of statues. I take a candle with me. The moon shines brightly tonight so I have a good sight on the statues. I look at each one closely until I see a statue of a girl. She looks like me. Comparing with the other statues, which are frozen in fear and with open mouths. She stands majestic. Brave it seems. She looks so familiar. But I cannot think about the moment I have met her. It is if I lost my memory. I lay my hand on her frozen cheek.

And of it is a reflection or a hallucination but a tear rolls down into the snow.

'Susan' A dark yet calm voice calls out. With a scare I turn around. 'Yes?' A lion appears, a white light surrounds him. He walks past me and brushes his nose against Lucy's. She melts before my eyes, but she doesn't wake. The lion catches her before she hits the ground. He steady's her on his back and then he walks towards the exit. 'W-wait!' He turns his head, he looks with sadness at me. 'Who are you?'

'Child' He signs deeply. 'I am sorry I failed you' and he is gone. Bewildered I am left behind. He failed me? How?

I run as fast I can back to my room. Put my boots and cloak off and slip under the blankets. My head spins. The lion, he also was familiar. But.. I can't remember.

A knock on my door brings me back. The door opens and a servant comes inside with a tray. 'Princess I saw you wandering around, so I have brought you something to eat and drink'

'Thank you' I say and eat the food she gives me. She brought me hot chocolate. My favorite!

'Never eat food a stranger gives to you'

With a trembling hand I set the cup back on the tray. I eat everything..

The servant nods her head and as quickly as she came, she also disappears. I cover myself under the blankets. Everything what happened today flashes in front of my eyes.

One thing I know for sure. Caspian, no one ever looked like that before at me. And when I think of him my chest flutters.