The High Queen of Narnia

Chapter 18

Elodie was dressed in a fresh tunic with a leather corset vest over the top, black leggings and matching tall boots. Caspian was in a brown tunic with a velvet coat over the top, his hair dry and brushed back as he opened the doors for Elodie, and they led Edmund and Lucy into their cabin.

"Aslan," Lucy smiled nostalgically as she saw the golden lion's head emblazoned on a wooden cabinet. And Elodie just leaned against Caspian who leaned against a wall as Edmund took in the images that were painted on the walls. Pictures of him and his siblings, of the battles they fought.

"Did you really build this ship yourself, Ellie?" he asked as she bit into an apple, the crunch rather loud as the sweetness exploded across her tongue.

"Designed it," she corrected. "Building is not my forte, but Cas actually designed the paintings for this room though."

"I thought it would be nice for her to have a place to remember you all on our long journeys," Caspian explained as she stood to kiss his cheek, something she did every single time he explained why he had the room painted.

"The figurehead," Edmund said and her heart sunk slightly. "It's a griffin. Is it for-"

"Solomon," she confirmed and that was all she wished to say on the matter before Lucy broke the silence.

"Look. Susan's bow and arrows," Lucy called as she spotted them displayed below a porthole.

"Lucy," Caspian called as he opened a cupboard and pulled out a small box to reveal the things inside.

"My healing cordial. And dagger," she grinned excitedly as she made her way over to him, Elodie smiling as she continued to bite into her apple. "Oh. May I?" she asked as her hands went for the items before pulling back and Caspian's smile was warm.

"Of course. They're yours."

"Peter's sword," Edmund said as he spotted the weapon that was never out of their possession seeing as Caspian used it to fight fairly often.

"Yes. I looked after it as promised. Here," he offered as he picked up the sheathed sword and presented him with it. "Hold it if you wish."

"No, no. It's yours," Edmund replied as Elodie helped Lucy buckle her dagger around her waist, her apple held in her mouth. She was probably the most unladylike woman Caspian had ever met and he wouldn't trade her for the world. "Peter gave it to you."

"I did save this for you though," Caspian said as he turned around, scanning the room as if trying to remember which door or cupboard to open. "Uh, Ellie, where did we leave it?"

"You mean where did you forget you put it?" she corrected with a smirk as she moved over to a thin cupboard with a glass front and pulled it open, picking out an object that she tossed to her brother.

"Thanks," Edmund said as he caught his torch that surprisingly still worked after being left here so long ago. Caspian then set down Peter's sword as he moved to a table at the centre of the room and began pointing out locations on the map that was laid out across it.

"Since you left us, the Giants of the North have surrendered unconditionally. And we defeated the Calormen armies in the Great Desert," he explained as Elodie scoffed.

"They deserved what they got for thinking I couldn't fight. You would think they'd be well versed in the history of the kings and queens of old," she added as she took another bite of her apple and Caspian smiled at her.

"Yes, darling. It was a grave mistake indeed to underestimate you and your female battalion," he agreed and her expression was proud and a little smug.