His Majesty, Her Grace - Sequel to A Prince Caspian Love Story

Chapter 21 - Ramandu's Island

We eventually come across a moss-covered bridge, Ed's light illuminating large stone birds that seem to be watching over the place. We cautiously continue, walking slowly underneath an ancient tree that forms a twisting archway. Just on the other side is a mysterious-looking stone table, it has intricate designs carved into its sides and large benches to match. The tabletop is decorated with oddly perfect and untouched food on top, a polar opposite compared to the mangled forest we just ventured through.

Tavros groans in relief and steps forward, ready to dive into the feast laid out before him.

"Wait," Drinian says, holding his arm out to stop the minotaur.

I stick close to Caspian, not remotely interested in the food. Instead, my eyes are trained on three hunched-over figures at the head of the table. Ed's light brushes over them and he gasps. Caspian tenses and raises his sword, I do the same with my daggers. It's the lords. They aren't moving and are blanketed with thick vines and roots, trapping them in their seats.

We slowly step closer to confirm what we already suspected. "Lord Revilian," Caspian mutters, the tip of his sword centimeters away from one of the man's rings.

"Lord Mavramorn." He says, confirming another one of their identities.

I carefully move to the other side of the lords and part the third one's hair, hoping it's the last lord.

"Lord Argoz."

A loud raspy breath escapes from his cracked lips causing me to gasp and flinch away from him.

"He's breathing," Caspian says curiously.

"So are they," Ed says, confirming that indeed the other two are alive as well. "They're under a spell."

The almost successful poison attempt flashes through my mind. "It's the food!" I shout, putting my hands up to get everyone's attention. A few of them grunt, dropping whatever food they were holding to grab their already half-full stomachs.

"Hey! It's the stone knife." Ed gasps. "This is Aslan's table."

Caspian's eyes dart to the lord's waist. "The swords." He mutters and pulls it free from the dead vines.

Ed frees the second and I the third. Lucy and Ed lay their's down on the table, making six in total.

"That's six," I say.

"We're still missing one," Caspian says, already calculating where the last one could be.

The swords slowly glow a bright blue, I can hear the metal humming as they start to vibrate too. A dim light flashes over our heads making all of us stare up at the night sky.

"Look!" Lucy says.

A pure white orb of light descends from the heavens, a sound similar to what Eustace makes when he glides around accompanying it. It settles at the foot of the table and molds into the form of a breathtakingly beautiful young woman with long, flowing blonde hair.

Her voice rings out like a ballad of music. "Travelers of Narnia, welcome." She smiles kindly.

The crew slowly bow to her and she lifts her arms as if their weightless feathers. "Arise... Are you not hungry?" She asks.

"Who are you?" Ed asks. His face is plastered with awe and fascination as he stares at her from across Aslan's table.

She takes small graceful steps forward. "I'm Liliandil, daughter of Ramandu. I am your guide." She smiles again.

"You're a star," I say quietly.

Her pale eyes shift to me and she nods, her aura radiating kindness and a sliver of amusement. Ed is still speechless and he keeps blinking harshly to make sure she's real. I glance at Caspian, wondering if he's been rendered speechless like Ed seems to be. His glinting gaze meets mine at the same moment, checking on me for the same reason. I laugh quietly, covering my mouth, and he bumps me with his shoulder.

"You are most beautiful." Ed finally manages to say.

"If it is a distraction for you, I can change form." She says, her face flooding with concern.

"No," Ed says. Lucy rolls her eyes at him but Liliandil just smiles.

"The food is for you." She raises her arms and the unlit candles grow small flames, lighting up the area. "There is enough for all who are welcome at Aslan's table... Always."

The men still seem hesitant.

"Help yourselves." She says again and they finally reach for the piles of food.

"Wait." I interrupt. "What happened to them?" I ask, motioning to the three lords.

"These poor men were half-mad by the time they reached our shores. They were threatening violence on each other. Violence is forbidden at the table of Aslan, so they were sent to sleep." She explains, her gentle gaze shifting between each and every one of us.

"Will they ever wake?" Lucy asks concernedly.

"When all is put right," Liliandil says. "Come, there is little time."

She turns and moves with rapid speed into the forest. It's surprising considering how long her wispy dress is. The men continue to eat, I feel somewhat envious but I follow her anyway, Caspian and Lucy close behind me.

She leads us to a small cliff with stairs seemingly leading to nowhere. "The magician Coriakan told you of Dark Island?"

She stands at the edge, overlooking the ocean and we join her.

"Yes," Caspian says.

A dark island made of tentacle-like clouds all tangled in one another looms several miles away. A green glow shines from its center, bathing the surrounding darkness in an eerie light.

"Before long the evil will be unstoppable," Liliandil warns, the happy tone she had moments ago replaced with foreboding.

"Coriakan said to break the spell, we lay the seven swords at Aslan's table," Caspian says.

"He speaks the truth." She answers, her eyes filling with sadness.

"We only found six," Ed says. "Do you know where the seventh is?"

She raises her arm and points directly at the island. "In there... You will need great courage."

I tear my eyes away from the dark island to look at Caspian. His worried expression mirrors mine and a shudder runs through me.

"Now waste no time." She urges the four of us.

"Is my aunt in there?" At my question, Caspian rests his hand on my shoulder, giving it a light squeeze.

Liliandil smiles, but it doesn't quite reach her eyes, the sadness from earlier still lingers. My heart clenches and hopelessness washes over me. She doesn't say anything so I just nod, accepting that either she doesn't know or can't tell me.

"Goodbye." She says.

Her chest glows blue and white as she transforms back into a star. A small burst of light shoots out from the orb, filling me with an overwhelming sense of bravery for a split second, before taking off at an incredible speed back into the night sky.

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