The Legacy's Return (#2)

Coronation

"Did you realise that eleven and seven have the word 'even' in it even though they are odd numbers?"

"There's no need to be nervous, Sophie." Caspian held onto me and rubbed my hands to get the cold out. I had been shivering ever since the previous night.

"There isn't?" I asked him as Nina combed my hair.

"Of course there isn't." Nina assured. "Everything is going to fine, Sophie."

Caspian didn't let go of my hand after what had happened. I told him about the nightmare and assured him that I had no idea how I went to our spot. I must have sleep-walked even though I never had before. "I'm here with you. Always." He said after Nina went to get my dress from the wardrobe.

"Thank you." I rested my head against his shoulder. "Thank you for saving me last night."

"I couldn't bear to think that I could've lost you, Sophie." He cupped my face. "But don't do it again." He joked and I blushed.

"Now." Nina spoke. "I'm going to have to ask you to leave, Your Majesty."

"Happy birthday, Sophie." He kissed my cheek and headed for the door when it looked like Nina would practically push him out. "I'll be waiting for you."

It was only me and Nina and there was a silence between us. I looked at myself in the mirror for the first time and looked at how Nina had decorated my hair in the back and had braided it at one place.

I was asked to wear a crown just for the time being. I hadn't worn it before but I was supposed to wear it for the ceremony. Nina had picked out really long earrings for me and choker-like necklace. "Everything is going to be okay, right?" I asked Nina, still looking at the mirror.

"Everything is going to be perfect." She assured, brushing my hair one more time. "You are going to be amazing up there." She said, keeping her hand on my shoulder.

"All right." I got up. "Let's get this over with."

"I'm really excited to see the dress." She said, removing it from the wardrobe. "I'm sure Claire has done a brilliant job on it."

I got dressed and Nina teared up. "This is too much." I said looking at myself in the mirror.

"Oh, it's perfect!"

Nina had told me that my parents would be proud of me and I thanked her a lot for everything that she had done for me. It was a bit emotional. "I'll see you in there." She told me as we were outside the throne room. I was wondering how many people would be inside. "God bless you, my dear."

I paced outside for a few minutes before the doors opened and trumpets filled the room. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. "Everything is going to be fine." I told myself and walked into the room.

The room was packed. All the people present were standing on the either side of the room and every face turned to look at me. Nervous much? Yes. I smiled at most of them as I made my way to the end of the room.

Caspian, The Professor, Trumpkin and Reepicheep were waiting at the front. And, standing at the podium was Glenstorm. He was going to perform the ceremony then and once again immediately at the Dancing Lawn for the traditional Narnian ceremony. He nodded at me, knowing how nervous I already was. I smiled at him and nodded back.

I reached the end of the line and my dress felt heavier than usual. I stood there while Glenstorm spoke, "Everybody, please be seated." There was shuffling of feet as everyone sat down. "Today, we are gathered here on this auspicious day for the coronation of Princess Sophie Adams."

Right then, the silence in the room was broken by the opening of the door I had just entered. A woman entered the room. She was wounded and was frantically running down towards me. She fell down as the guards blocked her. "Please!" She screamed. "Help me!"

"Let her through." I said. Caspian came to stand next to me.

The woman looked familiar. As if from a dream. She thanked me as she stood in front of us. I knew why she looked familiar then. She was the same person I had seen in my nightmare the night before. "Please, Your Majesty." She pleaded with me and then at Caspian. "Help me."

"What happened, miss?" Caspian asked her.

"My son." She started sobbing. "She took my son."

"Who did?" The guards asked.

"She!" The woman screamed.

"Someone please get her some water." Caspian requested.

Whispers filled the room and Glenstorm asked everyone to stay quiet. Evelyn brought a glass of water and handed it to the woman in that time. "Bless you, dear." The woman drank the water in a hurry. "Help me." She said once again.

"What happened?" I asked.

"She promised that we could become rich. She promised that our lives would get better." She said in between sobs. "She took my son away."

"Where are you from?" Caspian asked.

The woman told about her life in a short way. She was from a neighbouring town. She had an abusive husband because of which she left him and tried to make her way to Narnia. She and her son had stayed at the ruins of Cair Paravel for some time before they made their way to our kingdom.

"We'll go in search for it." Trumpkin informed.

"I'll come." I said.

"Sophie-" Caspian started.

"The coronation can wait." I told him. "Someone is missing. The woman wouldn't be here if it wasn't serious."

"They might have killed my boy." The woman said.

I looked at her, my eyes aching with the pain she was feeling. "And they will suffer greatly for it." I felt Caspian take my arm gently, leading me into the chambers behind the hall.

He closed the door while I brushed my fingers through my hair. "What are you doing?"

"That woman is hurt." I said. "Her son is missing."

"This could be a strategic attack."

"Does it look like one?"

"You have to get crowned today, Sophie."

"The coronation can wait, don't you think We must find that boy." I turned to leave the room.

"Sophie, wait!"

"This was the same woman I saw last night, Caspian."

"What?" He stared back at me.

"Something is not right. Glenstorm told me something was going to happen. I must go."

"Sophie, wait. Think about this." He said. "We can send the guards in and-"

"I'm going." I persisted. "Please don't stop me."