Whisked Away

62. King Erlian

"Oh Shifra," Zori fretted, shaking her hands in anxiousness and pacing, "What if he backs out, what if he changes his mind?"

I chuckle and grab her hands in my own. "Zori, I have never seen a man so in love than Levi. He would never back out of this."

"Yeah...you're probably right," Zori assured herself, stopping her pacing. A soft knock echoed in the room and after I invited them in, Levian entered. "Oh he's called it off hasn't he!" Zori exclaimed, "I know I know, it was foolish of me to think he'd want to marry me."

"Better or worst than Levi?" I chuckled.

Laughing with me, Levian, replied, "Oh he's so much worse. They were made for each other."

"But what if we weren't," shrieked Zori, "What if he decides he doesn't love me anymore! What if he just wants to get in someone's favor what if I'm just dreaming!"

"Now she's at his level," Levian muttered.

I chuckled and retorted, "Well then see to it the groom-to-be doesn't run off." Sternly, I guided Zori back to her chair and finished fixing her hair in a complicated bun and fixing a veil in her hair.

"Five minutes!" Levian's voice called out from the hallway.

"Oh Aslan!" Zori shrieked.

"Zori," I soothed, resting my hands on her shoulders, "My beautiful girl, you are going to get married today to a wonderful man who loves you, who you love, and most importantly who I approve of." Zori chuckled as tears came to my eyes. "Zori, I love you and no matter what, I'm so proud of you. You have grown up to be the most independent and capable woman I could ever hope for you to be."

"Shifra," she uttered, tears coming to her eyes, "There's something I have to say to you. Even if I tried not to show it, when you sent me away I was devastated, but now I understand why you did it and I'm so grateful. If you hadn't I may never have met the love of my life, and if you'll let me, could I start calling you Mother?"

"Oh Zori," I replied, pulling her into a hug. "I love you, dear."

"I love you too, Mom. Now let's go see my future husband." I nod and we leave the room. Outside of the throne room we stand until the music plays and the doors are thrown open. At the end of the isle, Levi stands dressed in his royal best, for this wedding was to act as Zori's coronation also. She held my arm as I walked her down.

When we reached the end, I embraced her and kissed her cheek. Then I embraced Levi. Moving back to where everyone else sat, I watched as they were wed.
......................
While we were all silently thinking, we heard the clanging of a door opening and a guard came into view with another. Levi and I rose to our feet to greet this visitor. The door opened and the other was shoved right into Levi. Tears poured out of the grey eyes and the long, black hair was messy and unkept. "Levi?" the voice asked hoarsely.

"Zori!" Levi exclaimed, resting his head on hers as his hands were still chained behind him. I wanted nothing more than to embrace her, but more important things were on my mind. Lord Ali stood before our cell.

"How touching," his voice growled. "The couple reunited."

I stepped in front of the two, attempting to block them from his view, and asked, "What do you want?"

"What do I want? I want to please my master," he replied.

"The tisroc," I supplied.

"May he live forever," he hissed angrily.

I raised an eyebrow and retorted, "Oh I'm sure I would say that, but uh I don't want him to, so why would I? All tisrocs are the same: cruel and power-hungry, but so it seems are you." He merely smirked and said nothing more to me.

"This is the tisroc's last offer to join his side before your nation falls alongside Narnia," Ali stated, speaking to Levi and Levian. "You've already seen what I'm willing to do. I stole from you someone you all dearly care about: your wife, your daughter, and your sister-in-law. Who do you think I'll take next?"

"I have no one else I care about," I retorted.

"Maybe you don't, but dear Levian her does. Shall I snatch up the Princess Rosaline?" he taunted. I clenched my jaw and he soon left. Zori instantly broke down in tears and crumpled to the floor.

"I'm here, love," Levi whispered, running his fingers through her hair, instantly soothing her. "I'm here and I'll never leave you again." She sat up and Rested her head in the crook of his neck. He rested his on top of hers and grabbed her hands in his from behind. "I'm so sorry," he whispered, "I should have been there."

"No I should have," I muttered bitterly.

"No," Zori assured, "Love, Shifra, this is not either fault of yours. He is the only one to blame for this."

Kneeling before her, I felt fear clutch at my heart as I asked, "Dear, what did he do to you?"

Tears began to fall again, but she replied, "He locked me up in this cell in the very lowest parts of these dungeons and...and he would have men beat me." Levi's jaw clenched and I felt my own fists form and a small tornado began to form around us. "Mother," she whispered. Instantly the storm calmed. "I'm ok."

"They beat you," Levi said tensely, anger coursing through his voice. "They hurt the Queen of Archenland, my wife."

Gently rubbing her cheek against his shoulder, she whispered, "I'm ok Levi." His tense muscles relaxed slightly, but anyone could tell he was still angry.

"Alright," said Levian sitting up, "We need to figure out what to do. We have no weapons, we are all still chained from behind. What is our plan here?"

"I've been thinking about what to do," I admired, "but none of you are going to like it much." They all heard me out and agreed to the plan, but they did not like it much as I had predicted. That night we were to carry it out.