The Lost Legacy (#1)

The Painting

I entered the kitchen after getting lost a lot of times, I might add. I had to ask for help and directions, but it looked like people were still surprised that I was in Narnia. They continued to give long looks when I walked by in the corridor. Some would smile back at me if I smiled at them. I wasn't exactly a Narnian, now was I?

"This castle is huge!" I told Nina as I entered.

"Oh dear, I thought of writing down directions but I was expecting the King to help you. Who knew that he was going to spend his day with the Professor?" She asked as she started to put out plates for lunch.

I helped her and she didn't stop me. I was a stubborn person and people had to get used to it. "I saw the Professor, though." I said as I leaned against the counter with my hands crossed across my chest. Old habits die hard.

"Did you, now?"

"He seemed really sweet."

"He really is." She smiled.

I heard the hint in her voice but decided to remain silent about it. I ate lunch in the kitchen where everyone introduced themselves to me. The people working in the kitchen were the King's most trusted. They had his good graces and that was as it should have been. 

Nina told me to spend some more time wherever I had been before and also informed me that she was going into town to buy groceries that time as she couldn't in the morning. She was going to go with Evelyn, who was only a few years older than me. Her family had been working for the royals for ages and she was happy to follow their footsteps, though she had other plans as well.

I offered that I join them but I should've told her that I wished to go to town instead. "Oh, that's no problem, Sophie." She said. "I shouldn't have to trouble you. You are our guest."

I really wanted to go into town but I think she was waiting for the King's approval. Man, monarchy was hard! "Nina, where can I find Mr. Trumpkin?" I asked while helping her clear the plates.

"Trumpkin? What for?"

"I wanted to learn how to fight."

She looked at me in doubt. It was certain that ladies didn't wield a sword that often. "Why is that?"

I had already lied to her about my sleep. I couldn't do it once again. "I am a fighter, Nina. I got into trouble in school all the time because of it. Besides, I think it's better than I know how to fight. Don't you?"

"But won't you be going back, Sophie? How will swordsmanship help back in the Other World?"

That's when I stopped breathing. People assumed that I would be going back. Of course they would assume that, silly girl. I couldn't live in a fairy tale forever even if I wished that I could!

"What if I don't want to go back?" I asked as I fiddled with the ring on the necklace that I was wearing that day. 

It was the same necklace that I made sure was safe when I first came to Narnia. Apparently it was the only thing that my birth parents had left me. The necklace was made up of silver and the ring looked like it was made of gold. There was a face of lion engraved on the inner part of the ring. The outer side of the ring had what looked like Norse runic engravings. I tried finding what it meant but I couldn't find anything.