The Chronicles Of Narnia : The High Queen

Chapter 23

Paintings of a faun in a scarf, Mr Tumnus, and the beavers, the battle and the four of them after being crowned royalty.

"It's us", Susan stated.

She looked at the telmarine Prince.
"What is this place?".

Caspian furrowed his eyebrows.
"You don't know?", he asked.

His gaze softened when Susan shook her head.
"I'll show you".

Caspian picked up a torch and led Susan and her siblings through a dark tunnel.

At the end, Caspian lit a fire that spread around the room.

The Pevensies marvelled at the sight as they were met with the cracked stone table and a statue of Aslan, in addition to more carvings.

"Down further", Lucy whispered.

Peter followed the girl close behind as she pointed to a new set of paintings.

The siblings observed them intently, knowing well what they depicted.

A girl stood facing a crowd of Narnians in what appeared to be Cair Paravel.

The next was the girl adorned in a gold crown on her dark black hair, dancing with Narnians.

Then the same girl attired in chain mail and armour holding out her sword in a battle cry.

Peter and his siblings scanned the length of the wall, immersed in the stories of the friend they had left behind.

Aria was painted amidst different occasions as the general and high queen before and after the Pevensies had left.

The last painting was of her surrounded by flowers, her eyes being the same brown ones that Peter loved and the painting seemed more of a farewell to the once great queen.

Peter stood facing the girl, looking the same as when he had last seen her. 
They were all older then and staring at the painting, Peter noticed that even beautiful paintings couldn't quite capture the beauty of the girl that she was known for.

Peter gulped down the knot in his throat, his body squirming to reach out, hoping that she would walk right out of the paintings.

He brushed his fingers against Aria's portrait as Susan voiced his own thoughts.

"I just wish she could be with us", the girl whispered.

Her siblings nodded.

Caspian frowned.
He walked towards the painting that the siblings stared at.

"High Queen Aria?", he said.

A look of confusion passed his face as he looked at the siblings.
"You didn't meet her yet?".

•••○•••

Caspian walked out of Aslan's how, his eyes squinting to narrow slits at the sudden light.

He had left the Pevensies to talk, seeing that he wasn't necessarily part of the conversation.

Having known that the kings and queens of old have yet to meet the high queen, the Telmarine Prince felt slightly satisfied that he had something that they didn't.

But he wasn't about to use that fact to feel proud of himself.

The boy looked to where the tree line ended to an open field, a number of Narnians rushing to gather around whatever that marvelled them.

His gaze shifted to the kings and queens, also walking towards the crowd in a hurry and Caspian set off in a jog to join them.

A group was supposed to arrive with materials for making weapons and Caspian didn't want to find out that something had gone wrong along the way.