The High Queen Book Two

Chapter 17 - Celebrations

Third-Person POV

Standing beside her father and friend, Tilly smiles happily at the young girl but is glad the bad times are behind them and Narnia. Twisting her head forward, Tilly sees Edmund and the others climbing out of the water, all dripping wet, but the raven-haired boy doesn't seem to care as he dashes forward, enveloping her in a warm but wet hug.

"Oh, Edmund, you're all wet!" She screeches as he pulls her closer, spinning them around before placing her feet back on the ground.

"When will you stop scaring me like that?" The King asks jokingly, but with a serious look in his eyes, telling his girlfriend she keeps giving him heart-attacks.

"Sorry, Love. I'll try."

"No, you won't," Peter says to the couple making the others laugh around them, but a deep cough makes them freeze and turn to the lion. Tilly backs away from her family to stand beside Lucy as the others kneel while Aslan addresses them. Peter and Susan have fear blooming in their hearts, knowing they didn't believe in him for a time, and Caspian still doesn't feel worthy of the crown. And while the three freak out inside, Edmund can only think about holding Tilly in his arms again. He would never let on, but for years, he struggled to be away from the blonde even before they came to Narnia. She was the only one who stuck up for him and liked him. So, even now, when he has a good relationship with his siblings, he can't help but feel every time he loses sight of Tilly, she might disappear and never return.

"Rise, Kings and Queens of Narnia," Aslan instructs, but as the three siblings stand, Caspian stays kneeling before the Great Lion. "All of you," he reminds the Telmarine Price, making Caspian's head pop up.

"I do not think I am ready," he voices his self-deprecating inner thoughts to the large cat.

"It is for that very reason I know you are." Aslan smiles at the young boy as he rises beside the Kings and Queen of Old.

The sound of bagpipes and little feet shuffling in the rocky sore takes the attention of the royals and Aslan to the squadron of mice carrying their fearless leader, Reepicheep, near death on a stretcher. With one nod from Tilly, Lucy dashes forward with her cordial, pouring a drop into his mouth while everyone waits for the mouse to return to them. With a gasp, the large mouse breathes again, slowly sitting up as he thanks Lucy for saving his life.

"Thank you, your Majesty," the young Queen laughs lightly with her siblings at the fierce warrior, but the mouse is stunned to see not only the Daughter of Narnia before him but Aslan beside her, smiling down at him. "Hail, Aslan! It is a great honour to be in..." Reepicheep goes to bow but finds himself unable to balance due to losing his tail. "I'm completely out of countenance. "I must crave your indulgence for appearing in this unseemly fashion." The poor mouse quivers, embarrassed like none before. He crawls over to Lucy, asking for another drop of her cordial, hoping it could fix his tail, but the Queen shakes her head, afraid it doesn't do that.

"You could have a go," he deadpans, but Aslan's laugh cuts him off.

"It becomes you, well, small one." Tilly kicks her foot at Aslan's side shaking her head at the name, 'little one', knowing Reepicheep doesn't enjoy being called small things of any kind.

"All the same great King, I regret that I must withdraw, for a tail is the honour and glory of a mouse."

"Perhaps you think too much of your honour, friend," Aslan says back to the mouse, but Reepicheep quickly replies with what else a tail is used for, such as balance and climbing. A mouse behind Reepicheep grabs his tail and his sword, making the motion that he and the rest of his men will cut their tails off if their chief is denied the honour of having one. Tilly shakes her head at the mice and then her family before glancing at Aslan, who nods in approval of the Queen's plan.