The Early Chronicles Book Six: Dragon Wing

Chapter 11

Aslan stopped in front of Kismir and faced the oncoming dragon as it soared over their heads and landed behind them beside the yellow dragon.  The ground shook as the red dragon landed, but once the two beasts stood side by side, everything became eerily quiet.  Swanwhite held her breath as she saw the striking image of the bright yellow dragon beside the bloody red one.  But even more striking was the much smaller figure of the lion calmly approaching the dragons.  Swanwhite noticed Isabel now stood beside Kismir.

"You came back."  Swanwhite whispered. 

"I went through the cave, but then I came across that lion."  Isabel's face seemed much calmer and nobler, it was almost like she was a completely different person.  

"Aslan has a way of changing minds."  Swanwhite smiled and then turned her gaze straight ahead.  Something told her that something wondrous was about to happen.  

Aslan continued his pace, straight ahead and unwavering.  As he drew closer to the dragons, they suddenly didn't appear as frightening.  It almost seemed to Swanwhite that they were cowering.  Their wings were folded down against their sides, and their heads lowered closer to the ground.  The monsters that had once seemed unbeatable and too much for them to handle now seemed mild and cowardly.  Aslan finally stopped quite close to the dragons, then threw his shaggy head back and roared a great roar that shook the ground and caused the leaves on the trees to tremble and fall from the branches.  The dragons each let out pitiful whines and then both darted up into the sky and disappeared over the horizon.  Swanwhite let out her breath, as the valley became silent except for the soft padding of Aslan's paws coming towards them.  Swanwhite and Goran dismounted from Kismir and knelt before the great lion.

"Welcome, children."  Aslan's deep and calming voice gave Swanwhite a pleasant feeling she only had when she was around him.  

"Aslan, are they truly gone?"  She asked him.  His soft gaze settled on her, and he smiled.

"For now.  No dragons shall set foot in Narnia for many, many years.  Do not fear."

"We are most grateful, my liege."  Goran said as he rose to his feet.  "I didn't know how else we could have driven them off."  

Swanwhite suddenly felt her eyes moisten and a limp rise in her throat.  "Please, Aslan.  Chateau Kent..."

"I know the pain you feel, child."  The lion's voice was low and sad.  "Do not feel ashamed to mourn Chateau Kent.  It is a deep loss."  His words seemed to seep through into Swanwhite's insides and tug at her heart.  She felt a tear begin to slide from her eye as she stared at Aslan's face and felt Goran wrap an arm around her shoulder.  She had always wanted to run from grief and ignore the pain she felt, but Aslan's eyes seemed to see all the pain in her heart and assure her all would be well.  "You will have to rebuild."  Aslan's voice grew slightly louder and confidant. "Chateau Kent is gone, but a new age is dawning!  You must find a new location, and raise up a new castle.  One that shall become a beacon to all who reach Narnia's shores, and one that will remind them of the truths that this land holds true."  He turned towards Isabel.  The girl hesitated, then reached out a hand and entwined it in the golden fibers of Aslan's mane.  There seemed to be words spoken between them that no one else could hear.  

Swanwhite could tell that Aslan would be leaving them soon.  "Don't delay your return, Aslan!  And thank you."  She brushed the tear from her cheek and smiled as Aslan began to disappear from their sight.  When they were alone in the valley, Isabel approached Swanwhite meekly.

"Your majesty, I know that before you offered me and my people a place here,"  She said slowly.  "I know I don't deserve it on behalf of my actions towards you, but if you could forgive me, we would like to stay."  She said.  Swanwhite took her hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

"You will always have a place here."  She said kindly, amazed at the transformation that had come over Isabel.  "Remain here in Telmar and flourish as the Telmarines."  

Swanwhite and Goran stood on the cliffside overlooking the Eastern Sea where construction on their new home was already happening behind them.  Goran wrapped his strong arms around his wife as they stared at the sunlight shimmering off of the water.

"Do you remember several years ago when we traveled past this place?"  Swanwhite asked wistfully.

"With Laurel and Thasian?  Yes, I remember.  You said you thought it would be a beautiful place for a castle."  Goran said with his low rumbly chuckle.  "It seems you were right."

"I can't believe all that has come to pass."  She answered.  "I shall never lose hope again if I remember this."

"Indeed."  Goran agreed and kissed the top of her head.  They stared in silence for several moments.  Captain Rufus the Minotaur, Genevieve the Dryad, Sir Ethan, and all the other castle attendants had soon been reunited, and now they all stood behind the queen and general making plans and gathering materials to build the new palace.  The dragons were gone, and all seemed better than Swanwhite ever hoped it could be.  She sighed in happiness in her husband's arms.  

"You know,"  Goran began, "we shall have to name the new palace."

"Hmmm."  Swanwhite began thinking.  Dozens of ideas swarmed her mind, but an image she could not escape was the peaceful and powerful face of Aslan.  "Aslan said this castle would be a beacon to all of the values Narnia holds,"  She said,  "we shall call the castle Cair Paravel, which means "a lesser court", since we only rule to serve the people, and to serve under Aslan's ruling."

"I believe that suits it well."  Goran agreed with a smile in his voice.  "I'm proud of you, Swanwhite."  He spun her to face him and then kissed her tenderly in the sunshine, then the two of them turned and walked arm-in-arm towards their soon-to-be new home.

The End

Thank you so much for reading "Dragon Wing".  The next book in The Early Chronicles will be the seventh and last book of the series, "The End of the Beginning".  Watch for it and see the final chapter of Swanwhite's adventures, and the continuation of the rest of Narnia's great history!