Favorite of the King

Return to Narnia

    There was something vaguely familiar about the crumbling stone ruins. Edmund couldn't place what, exactly. He picked his way around a vine covered pillar. Peter, Susan, and Lucy were exploring other corners of the ruins.

    It had only been a year since they left Narnia, and yet, Narnia somehow felt different. It felt quiet and empty. Edmund ran a hand along a wall.

    "I wonder who lived here," Lucy said.

    Susan started towards her, then paused. She picked up a small item. She held it up, a shocked look crossing her features. "I think we did."

    Edmund came around the wall and joined his two sisters. Peter was quick to follow. Susan was still inspecting the small object she'd found. Edmund recognized it immediately. "Hey, that's mine, from my chess set."

    "Which chess set?" Peter asked.

    "I didn't exactly have a solid gold chess set in Finchley, did I?" Edmund answered. He took the piece from Susan. It was a centaur. Lucy began to look at the ruins in a different way.

    "It can't be," she murmured. She ran past them towards a set of pillars. They all chased after her.

    Lucy grabbed Peter's hand and pulled him up a short flight of stairs. "Don't you see?"

    "What?" Peter knit his brows.

     Lucy moved him in front of a crumbled block of stone. "Imagine walls." She walked behind Susan and pulled her towards a block as well. "And columns, there!" Edmund's eyes widened, realizing what she was saying. He took his old place in front of the block to the right of Peter's. Lucy stood beside Susan. "And a glass roof."

    "Cair Paravel," Peter said.

    They stood there for several minutes, looking over the ruins of what had once been the throne room. Peter was the first to resume exploring. Susan and Lucy took off next. Edmund remained, thinking.

    If this was Cair Paravel, then where are Yvaine and Eirene? He swallowed, a small sliver of fear worming its way into his heart. Edmund shook his head and followed his siblings. If they're around here, we'll find them.

    He walked past a few apple trees, then paused. A massive boulder was embedded in the soil. He touched it gingerly. The boulder was rough, not like the smooth marble walls of Cair Paravel. "Catapults," he realized. Edmund heard the others join him.

    "What?" Peter asked.

    Edmund looked back at him. "This didn't just happen. Cair Paravel was attacked." He stood as sad but thoughtful looks crossed his sibling's faces.

    Peter brushed past him and began to pull vines away from a wall. Edmund moved to help him. They slid the stone wall to the side, revealing an old wooden door. Peter tried the latch, but it was locked and rusted shut. He pried chunks of wood out of the door and reached a hand through, letting them in. The door fell off its hinges as he pushed it open.

    Edmund cocked his head curiously as Peter began to cut a strip of fabric from his shirt. He wrapped the fabric around a piece of wood. "I don't suppose you have any matches, do you?"

    "No, but," Edmund rummaged around in his bag and pulled out his new torch, "would this help?"

    "You might've mentioned that a bit sooner," Peter scoffed. Susan and Lucy bit back laughter. Edmund didn't bother to hide his grin as he led the way into the tunnel.

    He switched the light on, illuminating the old familiar staircase. It wound down in the treasure room, where they had housed several of their most prized possessions. It was surprisingly still intact. All of their trunks were there, covered by marble lids. Statues of them in their former glory sat behind the trunks.