The High Queen of Narnia

Chapter 21

It was well past dawn as Elodie sat chained against a wall, a collar around her neck and manacles still around her wrists. On her left sat Lucy and Eustace while on her right sat a mix of humans and Narnian creatures. And while she was fairly certain she could use the one knife she had hidden in her boot to escape her shackles, she was completely certain that the slave traders would kill Lucy and Eustace before she could. Even though she didn't have an attachment of any sort to the latter.

"I'm going to kill all of them," Elodie threatened, her sister knowing that she was really just worried about Caspian and Edmund.

"I'm sure they'll be alright," Lucy tried to assure her.

"They're kings of Narnia, they better alright."

"I'm sorry," spoke the faun next to Elodie. "But did you just say kings of Narnia?"

She nodded. "I'm Queen Elodie, the Brave. This is my sister, Queen Lucy, the Valiant," she introduced and all of the creatures next to them began whispering in excitedly hushed tones as the words were passed down the line.

"Forgive me, your majesties," said a dwarf who was chained next to the faun. "But what are you doing here?"

"The wars on the mainland are over. Narnia is in peace. So, my husband and I sought to visit the Lone Islands to check up on all of you," she explained, glossing over the real reasons for the sake of the seven lords' safety.

"Your husband?" the faun questioned.

"King Caspian, the tenth," Elodie answered.

"So the rumours are true?" the dwarf exclaimed. "A Telmarine king sits on the Narnian throne?"

"My husband was crowned a king of Narnia by Aslan himself. He is in the company of King Edmund, the Just as we speak," Elodie defended, her blue eyes seeming to grow darker.

"My friend meant no offence, your highness," the faun defended. "And don't worry, we shall get you out of here," he proclaimed and Elodie smiled sweetly at him.

"You don't have to worry about that," she said. "We didn't come here alone."

But before she could elaborate any further the screaming started. They were forced to watch as people were chained and placed on a cart as they were led to the water's edge. A man began running after the cart as he called out to a woman, reaching for her hand before the slave traders that guard the cart pushed him off and knocked him to the ground with a single punch. Elodie's heart broke for the little girl in a pink dress that chased after the man, crying out for her mother. And as the woman was taken away to where they could no longer see, the man promised to find her as he held his daughter in his arms, running off with her as the slave traders came back, this time for Elodie, Lucy and Eustace.

While the two younger ones were simply pulled by their chains, Elodie was escorted with a knife at her throat as they made their way to an auction site, a bunch of equally as disgusting men eyeing them up as Lucy was first placed on the stage.

"I bid 60!" one called.

"I bid 80!" another said.

"One hundred for the little lady!"

"120!"

"150!"

"Any more bids?" asked the man that had initially held Eustace hostage back at the bell tower and the men remained silent as he placed a sign over Lucy's head that said sold. And then it was Elodie's turn.

"We'll start at 200 for the feisty, yet gorgeous woman that claims to be the High Queen of Narnia," the man announced, the knife still held at Elodie's throat as she sent the most hateful and murderous gaze she could at the auctioneer.