𝙸𝚁𝚁𝙸𝚃𝙰𝙱𝙻𝙴. ➪ 𝙴. 𝙿𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚎

𝚜𝚒𝚡

Phillis awoke the next morning as she did most mornings in Narnia - close to Edmund. So close, in fact, she was sure they couldn't be any closer. His mouth hung open slightly. She always found it most adorable. As much as she wanted to enjoy the moment, she heard the clashing of swords in the distance. She sat up and noticed Peter, Elmer and Lucy gone. "Eddie," she whispered, shaking the boy awake.
He grumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Edmund looked up at her, a confused look on his face. She pointed to the empty spots of the missing teenagers. Susan seemed to rise at the same time, her eyes going wide at the sight. They all scrambled up, waking Trumpkin along the way, and ran towards the source of the noise. Lucy stood in a forest, Elmer shielding her from any danger with his sword outstretched. They were surrounded by Narnians. And Peter stood with a boy, who had his sword pointed at the High King. "Peter!" Susan yelled.
Then, Phillis noticed that he wasn't holding his own sword at all, he was holding Peter's. "High King Peter," the boy, with a Telmar accent, said.
"I believe you called," Peter replied.
"Well, yes... but I thought you'd be older," he replied.
Phillis came to the conclusion that this boy must be Prince Caspian. She couldn't think of any other possibility.
"Well, if you like, we could come back in a few years," Elmer said, who had also lowered his sword.
"No! No, that's all right. You're just... you're not exactly what I expected," he replied, glancing at them all.
Phillis couldn't help but notice his lingering gaze on Susan. And, she knew if Elmer had caught it, he wouldn't be happy in the slightest.
"Neither are you," Edmund spoke up, glancing at a minotaur.
"A common enemy unites even the oldest of foes," a badger said.
"We have anxiously awaited your return, my liege," a mouse said, pouncing out of the bushes. "Our hearts and swords are at your service."
He was larger than a mouse, but he certainly wasn't a rat.
"Oh my gosh, he is so cute," Lucy whispered.
"Who said that?" the mouse yelled, drawing his tiny sword.
"Sorry," said Lucy quickly.
"Oh, uh, Your Majesty, with the greatest respect, I do believe 'courageous', 'courteous' or 'chivalrous' might more befit a knight of Narnia," he said.
"Well, at least we know some of you can handle a blade," Peter said.
"Yes, indeed. And I have recently put it to good use securing weapons for your army, sire," the mouse nodded.
"Good. Because we're going to need every sword we can get," Peter sighed.
"Well then, you will probably be wanting yours back," Caspian smirked ever so slightly at Peter.

Phillis walked beside Edmund as they followed the Narnians to wherever it was they were going. Sure enough, Reepicheep - the mouse - was by their sides. "Your Majesty, Queen Phillis the Zealous," he began, bowing his head.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of talking to such a noble knight like yourself?" Phillis smiled down at him.
"You're ever so kind, Your Majesty. I just wanted to say I've read every book there is to read about you," he said.
"About me?" Phillis furrowed her brows.
"Yes, Your Majesty. Why, you're the greatest swordsman in all of Narnia. Books were published on your talent. Your swords too," Reepicheep explained. "the Swords of North and South."
"Oh, I see," Phillis blushed at the thought of books being written about her. "What about dear Edmund here?"
"Oh, well, of course there's the books about the Kings and Queens of Old," Reepicheep shrugged. "Just stuff about how they came to be, their reign. You know, stuff like that. And that it was a miracle King Edmund the Just and Queen Phillis the Zealous didn't ever get engaged."
Phillis glanced at Edmund to see if his cheeks were as red as hers - they were. Though they got along now, they never spoke of what happened between them in Narnia. "However, Queen Phillis it would be my honour, if you would care to train with me later?" Reepicheep suggested.
"It would be my honour, sir," Phillis smiled sweetly down at the charming mouse.
Then they reached it. It looked like some sort of ancient temple. But it was magnificent. Centaurs lined the entrance, their swords raised to welcome the Kings and Queens of Old. Phillis smiled supportively at a young centaur whose sword wasn't quite raised high enough. His father quickly corrected his stance, as Phillis sent a small chuckle towards the little centaur. He just looked happy to be there. The gesture reminded Phillis of when her mother had to keep showing her how to use a typewriter to ensure she wouldn't make any mistakes and waste valuable paper. Now, Phillis thought of herself as a bit of a pro on the typewriter.
They stood in a passage, examining the cave paintings on the wall. They were of them. One of them showed a brown-haired Queen racing beside a tall leopard. Cobalt. Phillis felt her heart tighten at the mere thought of him. But he was there, depicted in the walls. Another showcased Elmer and Dariyah, holding their newborn twins. Phillis turned to see Elmer staring at that exact one, tears brimming in his eyes. "It's us," Susan said.
"What is this place?" Lucy asked.
"You don't know?" Caspian's eyebrows fell into a confused face.
Just as he lead them onwards, Phillis caught a glimpse of one of her and Edmund, for it was true that in her years in Narnia she and Edmund had become inseparable.
Caspian lead them to a large cave. He lit it, and as the fire illuminated the space, Phillis watched in curiosity as the walls had carvings of Narnian soldiers. And in the middle of all the carvings, stood Aslan himself. And in the middle of the room, was the cracked Stone Table. Slowly, they approached the lumps of cracked stone. "He must know what he's doing," Lucy said.
"I think it's up to us now," Peter spoke up.
Phillis could see that Elmer was itching to ask about Dariyah and the twins. But he bit his tongue for a split second before turning to Caspian. "What happened to them?" he asked.
"To who?"
"Lady Dariyah. And the Prince and Princess. You learnt about us, right? So, tell me what happened to them, you must know," Elmer replied.
"After you left? Queen Dariyah ruled over Narnia for eight years until Prince Flynn and Princess Reina became King and Queen when they were eighteen," Caspian began, everyone's attention now on him. "Dariyah travelled back and forth between Narnia and Archenland, but since Narnia was being taken care of, she often spent all of her time in Archenland. Queen Reina married a Telmarine soldier. They had two sons and a daughter together. Elmer Opal II, Edward Opal, and Phillis Opal II. When Queen Dariyah fell ill in Archenland after a wave of Influenza hit the land, she was unable to return to Narnia in her final days. King Flynn went to visit her, where he met a woman called Maria - they were married within the next six months. Together, they had two girls and three boys. Celia Opal, Emmeline Opal, Alfred Opal, Edmund Opal, and Eugene Opal. Queen Dariyah died when the twins were 24 years old. Reina continued to rule Narnia, whilst Flynn crumbled under the pressure of being parentless and left with Narnia and Archenland. Flynn turned cold and bitter and resentful to the land he called home. So, he fled Narnia. No one knows where he went, for they never saw him or his wife and children ever again. It is rumoured they fled to the mountains - they'd be shielded there. Queen Reina died when she was 37 after an attack against the throne. She was stabbed. So, King Elmer II, King Edward, and Queen Phillis II ruled Narnia. Only Edward left an heir. A bastard child named Gwendoline. She became Queen after Queen Phillis II died of some curious illness. Gwendoline died when she was 19. An attack on Cair Paravel killed her and her newborn son, Ed. So, that was the end of the Opal family in Narnia. Or so we think. We do not know if Flynn has any living descendants."
"I see," Elmer let out a shaky breath, lowering his head. Susan gave him a comforting hug.
It was a lot to take in. All that had happened since they'd been gone.