King Edmund the Just 2: The Beginning of an End

Chapter Eight

"Eustace and Jill helped me escape. They were sent by the Great Aslan." Rilian explained quietly.

"Eustace saved you?" Peter laughed.

"He's changed remember, Pete?" Lucy corrected.

"Yeah, sorry. I just can't imagine it."

"If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have been able to say goodbye to my Father in time." Rilian added.

I looked away, blinking back tears. Edmund noticed and rubbed my back soothingly.

There was an awkward silence along the table.

Eleven years had passed in Narnia since I left. Rilian was thirty-one, it was strange to see him older than me.

"It's good to be back." Lucy broke the silence and bit into an apple.

"Yeah." I added.

"Why do you think we are here? Aslan made it clear we wouldn't be returning. And it seems Narnia isn't in danger." Edmund asked Rilian.

Rilian bit his lip. "Aslan doesn't know you're here."

"What are you talking about?" Lucy and I said at once.

"My father, he-" Rilian's voice cracked. "He said he'd met a sorceress on his travels, somewhere on one of the Lone Isles, that he saved her."

"And?" Peter egged on, "what does this have to do with us coming back?"

Rilian scratched his head. "Because he saved her life, she gave him an enchanted mirror, or rather, a looking glass. He was able to look upon whoever he wanted, wherever they were."

"That doesn't sound stalkerish at all." Edmund chuckled. I elbowed him in the side.

"Anyway, he searched for all of you, and saw that you were in some sort of trouble, it wasn't quite clear."

"Yeah, trouble alright." Peter cut in.

"Just let him speak." Lucy snapped.

"So he sent word to the sorceress three days ago, he wanted a form of magic to rescue you and bring you back to Narnia. She granted him that, but at a price."

Oh no. Caspian. What did you do? I thought. My lip started to tremble and my eyes welled up. I think we all knew the answer.

"He paid with his life." Rilian finished, drawing a hand through his hair and shaking his head. "I had so little time with him."

"We are so sorry." I cried, pulling Rilian into a hug. Edmund softly rubbed my back while Peter comforted Lucy.

"It's alright. I'm just glad you are all safe."

"I wish we could have gotten here sooner." Lucy sobbed while Peter gently stroked her hair.

"I know. I know. Me too." Peter answered, glancing at Rilian and I. "Surely Aslan must know we are back. He knows of everything."

Rilian shrugged. "If not, he'll soon find out."

"What do you mean?" I questioned.

"He'll be here tomorrow for my coronation."

---

Before.

"Tell me, Alexis, or may I call you Lexi?"

"No you may not." I growled to the doctor.

"Well, Alexis, describe this Narnia to me."

I didn't want to. If I did I would receive pain and more medication. My head had just been shaved and there were wires stuck to it; one above each eyebrow, two in line with my ears and one at the back of my skull. I was strapped to a cold bench.