𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐒 ✯ 𝑛𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑥 ℎ𝑜𝑔𝑤𝑎𝑟𝑡𝑠 ✓

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘

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𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐑𝐎𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐘𝐑𝐄 reached high into the sky, and as its orange light fell like a dance over the still slightly frozen courtyard, the rising sun coloured the horizon a scarlet red. It felt as if nature itself held a remembrance for her; everywhere the mourning group looked ─ from the pyre to the melting snow to the sky ─ every colour reminded them of Noelle.

Caolán stood next to Caspian, and both stared unblinking at the sky-high flames while their bloodshot eyes only seemed to amplify the colour of the reflection displayed into them.

Caolán's throat felt sore from the painful sobs that had ripped through his body not so long ago and the corners of his eyes burned with the yet unshed tears. He couldn't believe she really was gone, it felt more like a nightmare than reality.

Even though he had been the one who had convinced the King to burn her body, according to the customs of Archenland, his stomach still churned with mixed emotions as he stared at the pyre and the faint silhouette within the flames.

The wood pile crackled almost rhythmically as the fire sprang over it, the sound loud enough to even overrule the whistling of the early songbirds. The warmth of the flames drove back the coldness of the stark morning, but the smell of fire consuming flesh would haunt them for evermore.

Caspian took a small step forward and everyone turned their attention to him. He exhaled slowly, containing his tears and forcing his voice not to tremble.

'Noelle,' he said, his gaze upon the flames but then he averted it to the sky. 'May the road rise up to meet you and guide you to Aslan's country. May the wind be at your back to escort you to your next great adventure. May the sun shine warm upon your face when you arrive to make you forget all your past sorrows.'

He paused, closing his eyes for a moment. 'Until we meet again.'

The company stood silently and solemnly for a while, and although it felt wrong, they couldn't wait around until the sight in front of them would have turned into a smouldering pile of ash and charcoal. The earnestness of the recent events forced them into action and the group retreated back into the Telmarine castle, but their shoulders hung defeated and their faces stood downcast.

Caspian's gaze shot skywards, though, when the cawing of a crow and the frantic flapping of wings reached his ears, and he was just in time to see the bird shooting through the open window of the aviary tower.

He blinked a few times, unsure if his mind played tricks on him. 'A reply,' he muttered, he hadn't expected a message until at least with the falling of the evening.

Caolán caught his words and halted in the middle of the stone stairs leading back to the castle. Turning halfway around, his eyes shot between the King and the highest tower at his far left.