𝑩𝑬𝑳𝑳𝑰𝑪𝑶𝑺𝑬 | 𝑛𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑎 𝑥 ℎ𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑦 𝑝𝑜𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟

𝐶𝐻𝐴𝑃𝑇𝐸𝑅 𝑉𝐼𝐼𝐼

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　　 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐋 𝐉𝐀𝐈𝐋 𝐁𝐀𝐑𝐒 of the Anvard dungeons were cold to the touch. Most days in Anvard were still chilly at best as spring had only just begun. The pass was surrounded with towering mountains on all sides, trapping the cold air that descended down the mountains within it. It was only after a warm summer that the heat would stick around until late autumn.

The walls of the dungeons were cracked and badly damaged in some places, allowing small animals to freely enter the castle. It was from those cracks and the open glass-less windows, that were barricaded with the same steel bars that allowed the air, rain and sun into the cells, that had caused the steel to corrode over time.

The floor was made of simple, grey cobblestone and was softened by hay that was spread everywhere. It was routinely cleaned by the castle staff when new supplies would be delivered to Anvard.

The hay smelled fresh and slightly sweet, even though it had absorbed the rainwater that streamed through the cobblestones only yesterday when there had been another heavy rainfall. Each cell had at least two wooden beds which hung on the walls with metal chains. The wood was neatly sanded so no one would accidentally get a splinter. One could sleep better on the hay-stacked ground than on those beds, but it was comfortable enough to sit on.

Victoria was pacing back and forth, her eyes occasionally looking at her three cellmates; Florence, Peter and Edmund. She tried to shake the feeling of isolation off of her whenever she saw them talking to each other and was wishing wholeheartedly for Alexis to have been in her cell.

Peter straightened his shoulders with a long sigh. 'We shouldn't have to worry. Once Caspian sees us, they'll let us out unharmed,' he said and stretched out his arms.

'Peter?'

He turned his head from Florence and Edmund towards the jail bars to see Victoria look at him with a curious expression. 'Yes?' he answered reluctantly. He didn't really want to hear the question she was about to ask. If he'd learnt anything during the last few hours, it was that Victoria could and would use everything against you that you've said.

Victoria gracefully sat next to him, her long dress twirling after her and then resting around her legs. Peter could smell her sweet scent and even recognised it; she was wearing rosewater perfume. They locked eyes, an amused grin growing on Victoria's face. 'That King Nain said that you were never to return here, why?' she eventually asked.

'I had grown up,' Peter replied in a careful manner. 'Aslan said I'd outgrown Narnia and that it was time to grow up in my own world.'

This was the second time the name Aslan had been brought up ever since Victoria had landed in Narnia. The name alone had raised many questions in Victoria's head but she decided to not press onto the matter for now. She saw Edmund nodding understandingly as if he'd had the same experience as his brother.