I spent the rest of the day wondering about the castle library. I picked out books that dealt with history, economics, statistics, and even poetry. I wanted to get information about the beginning of Narnia, but the earliest history books only summarized the first decade.
Seeing how I wasn’t going to find what I needed, I decided to observe the creatures of Narnia. After trying to find my way out of the castle (Did the Queen call it Cair Paravel?), I had to ask a large cheetah for directions. The cheetah obliged and guided me to a door near some gardens. While I walked around the gardens, I watched birds of all sizes and species fly around, helping dryads plant, trim, and weed. I made my way down to where the soldiers trained. I couldn’t believe that almost any animal could be in the army. It was fun to watch centaurs, fauns, dwarves, and satyrs duel, and big cats and dogs fight.
I made my way back up to the castle when the sun got close to setting. I was going to head for my room, but realized that I didn’t know where it was. Luckily, Deanna was waiting for me when I got back. She led me to my room, and I attempted to remember the way.
“Dinner is in a half hour,” Deanna told me.
“Thank you, Deanna.”
The husky bowed to me, and then left.
I sighed to myself – I still didn’t feel like I should be here. Maybe tomorrow would bring some light.
I found a brush on the dresser, and smoothed my hair. When I was done, I headed for the door, and then paused to look at the bed. I hope I can sleep tonight. Otherwise, I don’t know what I’m going to do.
-x-x-x-x-x-
Bodies were everywhere. Lying in foxhole graves, and scattered on the ground. Some were dead, but most were wounded. Some had belly wounds, others had limbs missing, but they all were bleeding to death or were already dead and reeking because there was no one to save them. I was looking for the one soldier that was my brother, vainly hoping he had survived and was fine.
I finally caught sight of him a ways across the field of death. When I got close to him, I saw that he had a leg missing, his left arm was bleeding, and he was clutching the Miraculous Medal I had given him for his birthday.
“Eamon!” I shouted.
He turned towards my voice and looked to be in very intense pain.
“Annabelle,” came a hoarse whisper. He reached out to me, and I gently took his hand. I knelt down on the bloody grass and lifted Eamon onto my lap so we could be together.
“Eamon, don’t leave me. Please don’t leave me,” I said through tears that were running down my face. “I need you.”
“I’m sorry, Annabelle. Tell Mother and Father . . . that I love them,” he babbled. I was losing him; I knew I was – so I cried harder. “I love you, Annabelle. I’m . . .”
Eamon stopped mid-sentence and went slack.
“No . . . No! NO!” I shouted. “EAMON!”
I woke up with a scream. Without opening my eyes, I sat up and came in contact with another body. The other person put their arms around me as I started to cry. Whoever was holding me started rocking slowly back and forth while someone else rubbed soothing circles on my back. As I started to calm down, I wondered who was with me. Mother? Father? No, Father was preparing for war, and Mother wouldn’t be doing this. Then it hit me that I was in a Castle, and it must’ve been the King and Queen who were with me. I sighed with relief that nothing had really happened, and I felt a little voice in my head tell me that Eamon was fine. I let the rocking and rubbing soothe me back to a sleep that was thankfully free of demons.
-x-x-x-x-x-
The rest of the week I asked questions about Narnia and her history. I asked guards around the castle, servants, soldiers, and even the cooks. I asked everybody from Talking Birds to Talking Elephants, Centaurs, Fauns, Satyrs, and the Merfolk that lived near Cair Paravel. I learned much about Narnia. I learned that the first King and Queen were from a place not of this world. The names “Frank” and “Helen” gave me an idea that they might have been from earth.
I learned that the Great Lion, Aslan, picked two of every animal – one male and one female – to be parents to all of the Talking Animals. When I learned that, it reminded me about the Bible story of Noah’s Ark. Strangely enough, every time I heard the name “Aslan” I had a feeling I knew Him, though not by that name. For the life of me, I could not remember.
During the week, King Gabriel, Queen Atarah, and I got to know each other better. I learned that they went out on campaigns together, that they met in Galma. Queen Atarah was a farmer’s daughter, and King Gabriel fell in love with her as he watched her work near the palace of the Duke he was visiting with his father the King, while he was still a Prince. Gabriel asked Atarah if he could court her, she accepted, and they fell in love. Atarah went back to Narnia with Gabriel after they got married, and they continued to live with each other happily.
I told the King and Queen about England as best I could without confusing them. I told them that there was a war going on where I was from, and that my Father and elder brother were getting ready in case that it got close to home. When Queen Atarah asked me about my nightmare, I wasn’t quite sure how to explain it. Finally I just told it as I remembered it, and let them ask questions about things they didn’t understand.
Somehow I managed to keep the tears in, but the Queen noticed how hard I was fighting them, for she came and wrapped me in a warm hug. Again tears pricked my eyes and threatened to spill as she held me. It must’ve been motherly intuition or something of the like because Atarah whispered into my ear, “It’s okay to cry. Let it go, your brother is fine, I know he is.” So I wept.
This happened at the end of the week, and I had been debating for a while if I wanted to accept and become Narnia’s Princess. After Atarah mothered me, I felt the need to be their daughter and Princess. I got more mothering, subtle and not so subtle, from the Queen than I ever got from Mother once Father left. Gabriel acted like he wanted to father me, but wouldn’t do so just yet. I felt like I was loved by them, and I wanted to give that love back to them.
I made my decision. I was going to be their daughter . . . and a Princess who would rule over Narnia one day.
Interlude: From Annabelle to Swanwhite
It was a week after her acceptance when Annabelle’s crowning as Princess of Narnia took place. She was waiting outside the closed doors of the throne room with King Gabriel and Queen Atarah, whom she accepted as her Narnian parents. As the wait grew longer, Annabelle’s stomach twisted itself into tighter and tighter knots. She kept going back and forth between being nervous and excited about being crowned princess – at the moment, nervousness was winning.
The Princess-to-be stood behind her parents and fiddled with the Miraculous Medal she had worn ever since she entered Narnia, and she prayed to Mary to help her to go through with the ceremony without fouling up. Annabelle wore the medal everyday and insisted that she be allowed to wear it to the ceremony. The silver medallion didn’t quite go with the flowing red dress and gold cloak, but the girl refused to compromise. A dwarf suggested that he could make a gold medal for the soon-to-be-princess, but she graciously declined the offer.
The sound of the Fox chamberlain announcing the King and Queen brought Annabelle’s thoughts back to the present.
“Welcome King Gabriel and Queen Atarah!”
Gabriel offered Atarah his arm, and they proceeded down the aisle lined with Centaur soldiers holding their swords to form an arch. The cheers for Annabelle’s parents were very loud – so loud that she almost had to cover her ears. The pre-teen watched as they entered the hall and went to stand in front of their thrones. There was a third throne to the left of Atarah’s that was Annabelle’s to fill.
“And welcome Miss Annabelle, Princess-to-be!” yelled the Fox.
The cheers rose as the girl walked down the aisle. She walked as gracefully as she could, with her head held high, as she tried to keep her crazy emotions under control. She ascended the dais and curtsied to the King and Queen, and went to stand to the left of her throne.
“Narnians! Today we extend the royal line with the crowning of our daughter!” Gabriel announced and motioned his hand towards Annabelle.
A Faun came up to the dais with a crown on a velvet pillow. Bowing, he offered the crown to Gabriel and Atarah. The crown was gold with diamonds set in every few inches. The King and Queen carried it to Annabelle, who genuflected. The couple delicately placed the crown on her head, and after she rose, she hugged her parents and gave them a beaming smile.
Atarah then exclaimed to those assembled, “We give you not Annabelle, but Swanwhite! Princess of Narnia!”
Swanwhite turned and moved to take her place on her throne as the Narnians cheered. For the second time in her life, the Princess felt truly loved by more people than just her elder brother.
I am Princess of Narnia, and will be Queen, she thought. I hope I can make Mum, Dad, and all of Narnia proud. And boy, do I have a lot of learning to do!