king's temptation | narnia

chapter 4: off with his head

Over the next couple of days, Kate saw the best healers Narnia had to offer. With lots of fluids, rest, and watchful eyes, she finally became strong enough to go for a stroll with Lucy. While they walked about the grounds of Cair Paravel, they talked about what the healers had said.

"Lucy, when I finally came to my senses and could talk, the healer told me it wasn't poison that made me so sick," Kate said with a serious but worried tone. Lucy frowned and made a "go on" gesture with her hands. "The healer said I was drugged. Somebody in the castle wanted to take advantage of me that night and wanted me unconscious, I just know it!" Kate let out with frustration.

"Are they sure? I mean, who would want to do something like that to you?" Lucy questioned.

Kate thought about this. While she did have some people that she didn't get along within the castle, such as Susan, she didn't think that she would be the type to help a plan like this go forward.

"I don't know yet. But I've asked the healer not to tell your siblings. And I'm asking you not to tell anyone," Kate took a breath. "I don't need more reasons to be watched, okay?" Kate let out.

Lucy nodded. "Yes, just this once. But if anything else happens, I'm telling Peter straight away!"

Kate let out a loud sigh and said, "Alright, fair enough."

The girls continued to walk around, barefoot in the lush green grass. They rolled down the hills and ate sweet Narnian apples from the trees near the creek. Once they had their fill of fun, they walked back towards the castle.

As they were walking up, Peter and Edmund were watching them approach the castle from the balcony in the throne room.

"Do you think she's going to be alright, Pete?" Edmund let out a worried sigh. Peter slightly smiled.

"Well, today she's out and about, and back to her normal self, so I think she'll be fine," Peter said. "But what I can't get my head around is how she became poisoned and who poisoned her," Peter frowned hard, crossing his arms across his chest.

"I am stumped too, brother. I've scoured the halls and secret passageways, but have found no evidence," he shook his head annoyedly. "We were all walking up. There was pretty much nobody in the castle. Who could've done this? It makes me sick that this happened right under our noses. That it happened to-" Edmund stopped his rant and cursed as Kate looked up to see them. He flipped around and walked off of the balcony, out of sight.

"I feel the same way, Ed," Peter said to himself as he too turned and went to go wash up for dinner.

*****

At sunset, everybody gathered for a formal dinner in the throne room. Peter and Prince Rabadash were the heads of the table and Susan sat next to him, while Edmund, Lucy, Kate, Lord Rishba, one of Rabadash's closest friends were all sat in the middle of the table.

They started talking about peace over Narnia as they finished their wild root salads.

"Yes, yes, I did hear of your victory in the North a few years ago, Edmund," Rabadash said. "You're only a few years younger than me, correct? And commanding Aslan's entire Army?" he whistled. "If I were as successful as you, then my father would've been as happy as one of these Narnia queens over here." Rabadash barked out while laughing and sloshing his wine around in his goblet.

"Well, I do have a lot of help from Pete-" Edmund started, but was then cut off by the very loud and talkative prince.

"Speaking of Narnia queens," he looked intently at Kate, who was struggling to keep her head up. "I still haven't heard the story of how Katelyn became 'the victorious'. I've been dying to know how this beauty manages to behold such a title." Rabadash finished. Susan audibly gasped and Lucy nudged Kate who was halfway falling asleep. Kate shot up to see the entirety of the table staring at her.