𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔾𝕠𝕝𝕕𝕖𝕟 𝔸𝕘𝕖 - ᵖᵉᵗᵉʳ ᵖᵉᵛᵉⁿˢⁱᵉ

꧁Cʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 3 - Nᴀʀɴɪᴀ꧂

They had been travelling for a week now and Cair Paravel glimmered in the distance from where their ship was. The sea breeze brushed a few chestnut locks from her face and it tickled her nose as the wind died down and the strands returned to sit on her high cheekbones.

She could not help feeling slightly nervous at the thought of staying grounded once again, but one look at her crew's happy faces was enough to make her put aside her selfish needs. It was about time they returned home again, all of them.

Katherine could not help but feel that it was time she found a home again too and the closest thing she had to one was the Pevensie siblings. She had avoided her problems for too long, but now it had been long enough and she was not a timid schoolgirl anymore.

Besides Oreius had told her in her last visit that it was time she had taken her position as General of the Narnian armies. Yet another thing she had been putting off. Now that she was older and hopefully more mature she had sworn to not run from her problems anymore.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned to find Sacha behind her with a warm smile. She relaxed and smiled back before turning back to stare at the looming white walls of Cair Paravel.

"Don't worry Katherine" reassured Sacha, "You're going to be fine, just trust in Aslan's will"

"You're right I just have to trust fate, besides, I've worried about going back for too long, it's time to go home. For all of us."

Sacha smiled once more but it was strained. He was worried about Katherine and how she would handle seeing the High King again. He remembered two months ago when she last left Narnia for Telmar quite unexpectedly.

꧁꧂Flash꧁꧂Back꧁꧂

Katherine fiercely threw some of her dresses into her trunk. Her cheeks were stained with tears and her eyes had gone red and puffy. As she was throwing the dresses her tears clouded her view and some dresses missed.

With a wrenching sob she collapsed in the middle of the silks as the sobs wracked through her body. She sat there for a moment as the hot tears slid down her cheeks. Then she packed the rest of the dresses and shut her trunk. She lugged it to the door and looked to see if anyone had come out from the dance.

When she was sure no one had she began dragging her trunk to the nearest exit. As she finally made it to the end of the passage a voice called out to her. Sacha had been waiting by the exit for her. He grabbed her bags and helped her through the rest of the castle.

When they were at the ship the crew was already ready to leave, and they did not comment when she chartered the course for Telmar, and they did not complain at the time of day or question why she had been crying.

They had simply been there for her.

꧁꧂Present꧁꧂Time꧁꧂

They were nearing the docks now and Katherine excused herself so that she could finish her packing.  She had changed into a light blue dress as she went through her clothes. The dress was made from one of the lighter fabrics in Comoară. It was a breathable cotton material that was comfortable and soft.

Once everything was back in the trunk she visited the stables in the hull of the ship. Raiden was always a bit restless after days on the sea. She petted him gently and promised a ride as soon as they were off the ship. A voice above called out signalling that they were docking.

As soon as the gangplank was laid out Katherine had led Raiden upstairs to the deck, then she had gone to grab her trunk from her cabin. Raiden had walked off the gangplank to head to the castle as he was hungry and most of the crew had walked off too.