Phenoix Rising

Chapter 10

Lucy greeted her brothers as she entered the house. Peter and Edmund were mid chess game when Lucy arrived so after the initial greetings, instead of further interrupting their battle she started up the staircase to unpack in her room.

Halfway up Susan almost collided with Lucy. "Hello Susan!" Lucy cheerfully smiled at her sister but Susan just continued on past her with short response of "No time, I'm late." The front door slammed behind her.

With a sigh Lucy continued on up the stairs. Throughout the winter break from school Lucy hardly saw Susan as she spent more and more time away from her family, it was like she was avoiding them.

Christmas Eve dinner felt empty. Although Professor Grey had joined them as he and Helen and kept up correlation by way of owl but they all felt the absence of Susan.

It was well after General Gonzelle had bid goodbye and Helen had retired to her room for a full night's rest before Susan returned from her day out with friends.

Susan stepped inside the house and quietly shut the door to find six eyes watching her from the living room. They stared at each other for a minute in silence until Susan finally broke the said silence. "Still waiting up for Santa I see," Susan forced a smile, "are you all a bit old for this?"

"You're just like Henry." The words sliced through Susan like a knife through soft butter. The executioner who struck the blow was Peter. His gaze wasn't even directed at his sister anymore, rather it was on the lit up tree.

"We hardly ever see you." Edmund stated.

"You missed Christmas Eve dinner." Lucy added, looking at her feet instead of her older sister.

"You say we're childish, yet you're the one playing make believe, pretending over half your life never happened, refusing to face the truth, the pain of loss, like a coward, trying to make us feel ashamed for remembering ourselves as we are and once were." Edmund spoke softly but Susan reacted as if he had fed her poison.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Susan's voice wavered.

"You are a queen, Susan, whether or not you deny it, it is the truth." Lucy gently spoke.

"To the glistening eastern sea I give you, Queen Lucy, the Valiant. To the great western woods, King Edmund, the Just. To the radiant southern sun, Queen Susan, the Gentle. And to the clear northern skies, I give you King Peter, the Magnificent....Once a king or queen of Narnia, always a king or queen of Narnia." Peter quoted.

"Wrong will be right, when Aslan comes in sight." Lucy started.

"At the sound of his roar, sorrows will be no more." Peter added.

"When he bares his teeth, winter meets its death." Edmund continued.

"And when he shakes his mane, we shall have spring again." Lucy finished. "He didn't abandon you Susan, none of us did."

________________________________________________________________

Lucy awoke to find that the night had passed and the sunlight was streaming inside from the windows.

"I slept through Santa's visit, didn't I?" Lucy questioned, still not totally awake.

"Yes, and so did I as well as Ed," Peter informed her, "but look at what Santa left for us." Peter gestured to the four objects placed at the edge of the base of the tree.

Lucy gasped before grabbing her gift, an Aulos, (the instrument Tumnus had played). Peter had gotten a mandolin, and a lyre was intended for Susan. Edmund, who had never quite gotten the hang of playing an instrument got a solid gold chess set.

When it was time for breakfast Lucy went up stairs to put her Aulos in her room before she ate. Soft, gentle chords of a lyre resonated from Susan's bedroom, along with quite sobs. Unsure as to what to do, Lucy placed her gift on her bed and headed for the kitchen, leaving Susan to her music.

_________________________________________________________

Since I didn't update last week I'm updating twice this week, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter!