Chapter 11: Stellar Collision

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"The glory of its being!" Heath declared loudly, admiring Cair Paravel as he and that week's particular search party neared home. Through the final, dark, drizzly stretch of their journey, the distant, lit structure of the castle warmed the weary party somewhat.

Up until that moment, spirits had been as dampened as the muddied ground. There had been no trace of the four Kings and Queens who seemed to have vanished off the face of the world two weeks ago. The sky had wept throughout the entirety of those two weeks, though Narnia seemed to face a higher threat of flood from the tsunami of perturbation and unease that curdled within it each day.

Heath looked to his left, ready to share the flickering moment of comfort with his friend, but soon looked around, noticing that the High Queen had dropped to the back of the party and stopped at the peak of the hill they'd just overcome. Frowning, he turned his weary horse and rode back
to her.

"Come on, Lili. Come back with us. You need some rest some time."

"Not tonight." Lilith replied, looking to the infamous Stone Table but meters away. "Heath, do you think it would be pointless to pray?"

The Captain laughed for a moment, before realising that damn-the-oversized-Lion Lilith was completely serious. "If you mean you'll ask Him for them back then come straight back to Cair yourself, I'll wait here until you're done."

Lilith shook her head. "I don't know what I'll say... or do. Take the party home, Heath, and sleep yourself, you'll be sailing out again soon."

"'Right, Lili... Try to be back before dawn, this rain's only meant to get worse." He replied softly, reaching across to put a comforting hand on her arm before turning and riding back down the hill.

A sigh escaped the High Queen as she was left alone and dismounted Aidren. She swallowed, stroking the Unicorn's nose slowly. "I bet you miss him too, hm? It's a shame you can't talk... you'll have seen where he went... you'd have let us know if they'd been hurt, wouldn't you?"

She could have sworn that he bowed his head slightly. "Thank you for coming home..." She closed her eyes which had begun to mist over as she leant her head against the Unicorn's, her cloak hood obstructing sight of any of the world around her. "At least you came home..."

Aside from the gentle patter of rain on the nearby trees, the hill in which the Stone Table sat upon was silent. Mourning, it seemed.

All until a star graced the ground.

Lilith drew away from Aidren as she felt another's presence, her sword drawn and pointed forward within a second. Then, she lowered it slowly, transfixed on the intruder.

The woman stood between Lilith and the Stone Table. She had beautiful features and gently waved, sandy hair that brushed her waist. At first, Lilith thought that it was simply the moonlight, but then realized that the woman was surrounded by an ethereal blue glow.

"Who are you?"

"Lilliandil... I didn't mean to intrude, but I couldn't stay away any longer."

Lilith had never heard music as beautiful as the woman's soft, empathetic voice. She found she'd lost all words as Lilliandil approached her.

"I've seen you many times over the past few weeks... so sad, so alone."

"I have a whole Kingdom."

"And yet there are only the two of us here."

"Where did you come from?" Lilith asked, grounding herself and looking around. "I never heard you approach-"

"I didn't come on foot, Your Majesty. You'd have heard no footsteps."

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