Accidentally Falling | Narnia

prologue

"FATHER," ASLAN STEPPED into the Emperor's enormous personal quarters -- the same quarters the latter is being confined in for almost half a millennia. "You have summoned me?"

Standing at the center of the room, peering down into the pool in front of him, palms interlocked at his back, the Emperor turned and smiled at his son. "Yes, I have."

Despite the distance between him and the Emperor Over The Sea, Aslan could see the smile not quite reaching his father's eyes.

He had been expecting this. The moment he received word that he has been summoned by his father, he knew that something was wrong. For it was highly unusual that the Emperor would send his most trusted messenger in the middle of the night (or what passes as night in that world Aslan was in) to tell him, in a poorly disguised urgent voice, that his presence has been requested.

He suspected there must be something unfolding in the Worlds. Something ominous. What else could be the reason of such mysterious yet urgent summons? Although which world, Aslan wasn't sure.

"My son," the Emperor hesitated, as if weighing the next word carefully. "I have something important to tell you."

His father was in his human form, an aged man with heavily wrinkled face and startling blue eyes. The Emperor favored this form above all his other forms, for some reason. It must be because its physical appearance reflected his father's true age. 

Aslan had never thought of his father as old before. Though as of that moment, as he padded to his side, his huge cat paws leaving no noise against the polished marble floor, he looked weary. And not just because of his form. 

The Emperor waved a hand over the pool. The pool glowed, enveloping the chambers with blinding, bluish light. A few seconds later, a reflection of a face appeared in the water. A face of a woman. Her eyes were glowing blue and her lips were moving, as if she was speaking in a trance.

"Zhalif," Aslan spoke, recognizing the woman. "She spoke a prophecy."

Zhalif was a Seer living in the Emperor's country. She and her sister, Zeya, were equally skilled in Divination but Zhalif foretells prophecies that can literally change worlds. It made her the most powerful Seer in existence. She foretells the rise and fall of worlds in the known cosmos. She predicts the future of the many worlds Aslan and the Emperor is watching over, speaking prophecies that come true in the least possible way they expected.

The last prophecy she spoke was eons ago. It was about the two brothers that would defeat the evil White Witch of Narnia and restore peace and prosperity to the land and its people.

It didn't unfold until two years ago.

The two brothers were Peter and Caspian. They defeated the White Witch-- admittedly the greatest and the most dangerous enemy Aslan had ever known-- left her powerless and with no form, and drove her remaining essence and her army of dark forces out of Narnia and planted the Tree of Protection on the courtyard of Narnia's capital, Cair Paravel, an apple tree that served as Narnia's barrier against her and other evil forces. They ended the Witch's five hundred year reign and, indeed, restored peace to the land and its neighboring countries.

"Yes," the Emperor answered, his eyes never leaving the glowing pool.

Three days ago, Aslan would have assured his father that this particular prophecy could happen for another two thousand years. Three days ago, he would have reminded his father that there are more dire and current matters at hand, like the unfolding of one of Zhalif's prophecy in the world Aslan was visiting before the Emperor's messenger summoned him to his presence.

Three days ago, Aslan would have told the Emperor that he shouldn't worry about this prophecy yet.

But that was three days ago.