The Chronicles of Narnia; The Lost Queen

Chapter Nine

Aslan's How, I would have never thought how it really looks like. When I saw a quite medium height mountain full of tress with the fortress made of huge pieces of rocks in the middleof this mountain, I was completely speechless.

It looked so... magical and powerful epecially when the sun was high on the sky and was shining directly on it. Just undecribable sight.

I looked at the Pevensies and on each of their faces I could easily see their pride and their memories connected with this place.

Caspian was standing with us in the row, he looked as speechless as I did.

We were waiting for centaurs, which stood on both sides of the entrance to the Aslan's How, to put out their swords in front of us, to honour their Kings and Queens.

The Pevensies and I stepped forward in exactly the same moment leaving Caspian behind. I felt so much pride and courage in my heart that I have never experienced before.

We went inside and saw Narnians preparing their swords for the upcoming battle.

Susan, Lucy and I went deeper inside leaving Edmund, Peter and Caspian behind us.

We came to the hall and saw paintings on its walls, very old paintings indeed. Paintings of Aslan, Peter, Susan, Edmund, Lucy and... myself. Even the painting of the lamppost and Mr Tumnus himself were there as well. 

"Peter!" I shouted and Ed, Caspian and Peter turned their heads to me "You may want to see this." I said to him and all three of them went towards us.

Peter lifted up his torch and he started observing the paintings with Ed and Caspian.

"It's us." said Susan in disbelief.

"What is this place?" Lucy asked Caspain.

"You don't know?" said Caspian with surprised face.

He took another torch hanging on the wall and started walking deeper inside the hall.

I took another glance at the painting of myself wearing a crown and sitting on my throne with blue necklace on my neck.

When I looked away, I met Peter's eyes and we smilled to each other. His eyes were full of hope and joy but also I could easily see fear deep inside them.

We came into the enormously big room but couldn't see anything, it was pitch black.

Caspian put his torch to the hole in the wall and the flames started to spread out through the walls.

The sculptures of Narnians were slowly showing up with sculpture of Aslan in the middle and eventually we could see the whole place: the Stone Table.

Lucy stepped forward and looked closely at the Stone Table, gently touching the stone.

She then turned around to us and said: "He must know what he's doing.".

"Yes, I'm sure of that." I said to her and tried to smile.

"I think it's up to us now." said Peter in a serious tone.

We all looked at the sculpture of Aslan once again as if we were asking him when is he going to return to us and save us all from misery.

"Telmarine! I saw a Telmarine!" we heard someone's shouting from behind us.

It was a faun who ran directly to us.

"Are you sure?" Edmund asked him.

"Yes, your Majesty." the faun answered.

"Tell everyone to gather in here in ten minutes." said Peter to the faun and with quick nod, ran back to the main entrance.

"They are coming then." I said and sighed while Lucy sat on the top of the Stone Table. I sat next to her "I only hoped for a little bit more time." I added.

"You will have to learn the sword fight much sooner than you expected." said Peter as he stood beside me.

"I'm sure that I will manage." I said and then grinned "With your help of course."

Susan and Lucy giggled again and so did everyone else. After ten minutes Narnians came into our meeting and Peter came forward.

"It's only a matter of time. Miraz's men and war machines are on their way, that means those same men aren't protecting his castle." he said to the crowd.

"What do you supose we do, your Majesty?" asked Reepicheep.

Peter and Caspian started talking at the same time and both stopped after few seconds. Peter looked at Caspian with warning and Caspian stepped back.

I grinned slightly under my nose and after Lucy saw it too, she giggled quietly.

"Our only hope is to strike them before they strike us." Peter said eventually.

"That's crazy no one has ever taken this castle." said suddenly Caspian.

"There is always the first time." Peter and I said in the same time. 

He looked at me with this look in his eyes; he wasn't angry that I interrupted but somehow he was thanking me.

I bowed my head at him and smilled.

"We'd have the element of surprise." added Trumpkin.

"But we have an advantage here." said Capsian with anger.

"If we dig in, we could probably hold them off indefinitely." suggested Susan. Peter looked at her with confusion on his face, probably not understanding why she's not on his side.

"I, for one, feel safer under ground" added the badger.

Peter then turned to Caspian and said fast: "Look, I appreciate what you've done here but this isn't the fortress, it's the tomb."

"Yes, and if they're smart, the Telamrines will just wait and starve us out." Edmund said suddenly.

"We can collect nuts!" the squirrel standing next to Reepicheep shouted.

"Yes and we can throw them at the Telmarines!" answered sarcastically Reepicheep "Shut up!" he then turned to Peter "I think you know why I stand, Sire."

Peter looked at him seriously and then turned to the main centaur.

"If I get your troops in, can you handle the guards?" he asked the centaur.

There was a short silence afterwards, and then the centaur said bowing his head: "Or die trying."

"That's what I'm worried about." said Lucy.

Everyone looked at her.

"Sorry?" said Peter.

"You're all acting like there is only two options... Dying here or dying there." she said.

"You should have been listening, Lu." replied irritated Peter.

"No! You're not listening." Lucy said with intelligence in her voice "Or have you really forgotten who defeated the White Witch, Peter?" asked him Lucy.

"I think we waited for Aslan long enough." Peter answered with a change on his face.

He turned to the crowd and said: "I decide that we will have one more day preparing and tomorrow night we are going to take over the Telmarines' castle.".