𝐒𝐡𝐞 - A Narnian Prophecy || Peter Pevensie

Chapter 22 ~ A Controversial Coronation

"I understand that he's the High King, but what's he got planned now?" Susan whispered to her younger sister, who was stood by her Throne at her left. "He really ought to start talking to us about these things..."

It was only 2 hours since Susan had been awoken by her maid entering her chambers, practically shaking her and insisting that the High King had ordered the full Court to gather and, perhaps most concerning of all, for ceremonial robes to be worn.

"I don't know." Lucy replied quietly, glancing down at herself nervously. They hadn't worn ceremonial gowns since their coronation. Even what they wore when people were knighted was less formal than this- not that their everyday dress was too different, but still, she'd never sported her new red, velvet gown in public. With that in mind, and with the entire Court looking up to them for answers they didn't have, it was enough to make even the most sociable of people self-conscious.

"He best have a good explanation. We missed training for this." Edmund muttered across to his sisters, glacial blue cape glinting in the sun that reached through the window's behind them. "We'd just met at the field when they dragged us off to get changed."

"We?" Susan asked, peering over to her, "You and Lilith?"

"Who else?"

"Well then, where is she? If-"

But Susan never finished her verbal pondering as the large doors opened, the High King strode down the hall.

Despite the three piercing, questioning stares he got, Peter stood in front of his Throne and turned his back to them to address the Court.

"I thank you all for making attendance at such short notice. Today, you have gathered to witness the anointing of Narnia's Crown Princess."

"Peter!" Susan hissed, her younger siblings sharing a look of utter disbelief.

Lilith had been quite hoping for a sleep in. However, after tossing and turning, doing her best to ignore the morning sun battling through the lavish but frustratingly thin curtains, she remembered that Edmund had gone out of his way in offering to train her- and had also saved her life. With both factors considered, Lilith had decided it'd be pretty ungrateful for her not to go.

She had not, however, decided anything about being ushered back to her chambers the moment she got to the training grounds. She had not decided anything about being dressed in the fanciest gown she'd ever seen (made of the most beautifully intricate golden material and unbelievably skilfully fitted), nor guided through Cair Paravel towards the Throne Room.

She most certainly had not decided on anything regarding being anointed 'Narnia's Crown Princess'.

The Princess to-be was surprised that her knees didn't give way as she was revealed, even with Mr Tumnus' encouraging nod as he opened the large doors. She glanced around and realised a small mercy; it wasn't the Lords and Ladies, Dukes and Dutchesses that had congregated to watch her death, but instead a surprisingly large amount of Narnia's natural residents of whom had gathered.

Suddenly, Lilith found herself thinking of someone that she hadn't thought of in quite a while- Oreius. Oh, how she wished him to be at her side as he had been the day he'd first brought her to Cair Paravel.

Lilith saw Alia smile to her from beside the unreadable Centaur Chief at the end of the room, looking as encouraging as Tumnus had, and so Lilith managed to send her a small smile in return.

If Lilith had ever dreamt such a situation- which was beyond even her imagination- she'd have expected Peter to be looking rather encouraging, too. But instead, he looked as if he was frozen to the spot, waiting for her reaction.