𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐱 𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 (𝐒𝐂 & 𝐋𝐁)

Chapter 17- The Green Serpent and Return to Narnia

The Queen of the Underland, along with two Earthmen walked through the door. She surveyed the scene: the destroyed silver chair, Prince Rilian free with his sword, and the three of us. Then she turned to the Earthmen behind her and told them to leave until she call for them. The two Earthmen bowed and left. Then the Lady of Green Kirtle, the Queen of the Underland shut and locked the door behind them. We were trapped inside with her.

"What? My lord Prince has your nightly enchantment not happened yet or is it over with much sooner than usual?" she asked the Prince. "Why are you standing here untied? Who are these creatures? Are they the ones who have destroyed your chair which was your only safety?"

As she spoke, I noticed that the Prince seemed to shiver. I think some of it was because he had thrown off an enchantment in a half-hour that had been keeping him captive for at least ten years. That would be hard to do.

The other reason seemed to be the same for me. She didn't seem like the person you should question and it made me shiver. That was kind of what we were about to do.

But now the Prince spoke strongly and clearly. It just took a lot of effort.

He explained to her that the chair was no longer needed. His enchantment had been broken. Prince Rilian also explained that he refused to be King of some land after killing those who had done him no harm. He also told her that he was Caspian's only child. Because of all this he said that it was his duty to depart from her court and return to his own country. All he asked from her was that she would allow himself and the three of us to pass safely through her dark realm.

After he was done, the Lady said nothing. She simply moved across the room but she kept her eyes on Prince Rilian. Once she reached a small arch next to the fire place, she stopped. She opened it, took out a small handful of green powder, and threw it on the fire. It didn't blaze much but it brought a sweet a drowsy smell throughout the room.

The smell grew stronger and stronger, making it hard to think. Then she brought out a musical instrument very similar to a mandolin. She began to play quietly and I didn't even hear it after a few minutes. But it seemed the less I noticed it the harder it had became to think. The next thing I knew was that she was talking.

"Narnia?" she said in a quiet, sweet voice. "Narnia? I have often heard your Lordship utter that name while you were raving. But dear Prince, you are very sick. There is no land called Narnia."
"But there is Ma'am," Puddleglum responded. "I have lived there all my life."
"Indeed," she replied. "Tell me, where is this country?"
"Up there," Puddleglum said and pointed above his head.
"How is there a country up among the stones and mortar on the roof?" the Witch said with a kind laugh.
"No. It's in the Overworld," replied Puddleglum.
"What? Where is this- what do you call it- Overworld?"
"Oh, stop it," I said struggling over the enchantment. "Like you don't know! It's up above where you can see the sky, sun, and stars. You've been up there yourself. It's where we met you."
The Witch laughed again. "I have no memory of that meeting. However sometimes we meet friends in strange places during our dreams. Unless we all dreamed alike, you must not ask another to remember it."
"Madam," the Prince replied quite sternly, "I have already told you that I am the Prince of Narnia. The King of Narnia's only heir."

She continued to talk in a soothing voice. The Witch was trying to place us under an enchantment to make us forget Narnia, even our world.

Jill had tried to say that we had been in Narnia but we were from another world. However a while later I heard Jill repeating everything the Witch had been saying. That it was just a dream and there really was no such place. Then I found myself doing the exact same thing. I could no longer tell that there was an enchantment happening. The Prince might've joined in too but I couldn't tell anymore.