The Lost Legacy

Chapter 7: The Golden Era

Caspian, the Professor, Trumpkin and Sophie ate lunch together while asking questions to each other, and answering whatever they could while leaving the rest for the lessons that she was going to be taking. She was off to a great start as the Professor had pointed out. When the topic came to Beruna, Trumpkin revealed that the river water had healed Sophie's hand. 

"Did it now?" The Professor asked, sharing a look with Caspian. 

"Did I say something wrong?" Sophie asked, confused at their reaction.

"No." Caspian looked at her as if he were trying to get answers out of her. The facts weren't matching up, but that didn't mean that what they suspected was what they feared.

"Also Thomas woke up," Trumpkin revealed after some time, as if to remind the two of them that there was another factor that they needed to keep in mind, which Sophie was completely unaware of. "He seemed really in a mood to go for a ride around her." 

Another look was shared between the Professor and Caspian. "What happened?" Caspian asked her, not wanting to make her feel left out. She must have been feeling that enough already and he didn't want to contribute to that.

But before she could answer, there was a slight interruption. "Oh, look at the time!" The Professor exclaimed suddenly. "We need to go, Your Majesty. We have to finish the treaty to be sent to Duke Jeremiah, and Sophie needs to get back to her lessons."

Caspian nodded, understanding the message. They needed to talk to Glenstorm about their suspicions, for it was the centaurs who had foretold him that a change was coming about and this was a change that would be both unifying and destructive.

"Do you think he'll have the answer?" Caspian asked the Professor as they used the secret passageway to get to the stables, not wanting anyone to know that they would be leaving the castle at that time. 

It was vital that no one suspected what they did for the safety of all their lives.

"I only hope that he does."

Meanwhile, Sophie's training took a great start at archery. She was able to hit the bulls-eye almost every time. Trumpkin even complimented her and taught her the correct stance for drawing a bow. 

By the time evening came, he finished teaching her the parts of a bow and an arrow and had drawn some sketches as a part of her homework. "Theory is just as important as the practical. Do not let it be as though you are giving on books just as your arm starts to work for you. The Professor better not blame me for it."

The Professor and Caspian did not show up for dinner, having been engrossed in conversation with the centaurs who were waiting for that night's reading. This drove Sophie to have dinner with everyone in the kitchen. Nina's daughter, Rumira had also joined them for the meal. They were a few months older than her but that didn't affect how they had started to get to know each other. There was something between Rumira and Sahil that Sophie noticed but didn't want to place, not wanting to be judgemental.

The next few days were spent completely on lessons, but one interesting thing that happened during Geography - which had always been Sophie's least favourite subject - was that she and the Professor found the similarities and differences between the Narnian maps and the map of the Other World.

A week after that, Sophie decided to take Nina's advice to explore the castle. On the floor that she stayed at, a door stood at the end of the corridor, which nobody accessed, that seemed to call to her. What could possibly be behind that door that they would lock it up?

The ground floor of the castle didn't lead any place she wasn't met with guards. There was no point feeling trapped when she was the intruder after all. But turning a corner, she found herself standing in the throne room, which would have been hard to recognise if it wasn't for the throne. Seeing it so empty, it didn't seem so scary anymore.