𝐋𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐋𝐈𝐕𝐄 || peter pevensie [2]

~ legendary ~

My Dear Readers,

'Long Live' has been one of my favourite fanfictions to date, one of the things I have enjoyed writing the most. Thank you to everyone who has left votes and comments on this and 'Lionheart'. It means the world to me.

I know that some of you may be sad about the ending. Part of my hated myself as I wrote it the first time, and even as I have been editing it. However, I have experimented with alternative endings since the beginning, and am pleased to say that, once 'Legendary' has been fully uploaded, I will be releasing the ending that I wish I could have written. It will be under the title 'Evermore' and the book will also include a range of short stories from England, the Island, and the Golden Age. Please stay tuned for more details!

I am pleased to say that I have begun uploading 'Legendary', which you can find through my profile, but I have also left below an extract from the first draft. As it is only a first draft, the version uploaded may have some slight alternations. 'Legendary' won't be like the first two books in the series, nor will it be as long, but I wanted to write it anyway. I know 'Long Live' felt like the end, but it's not. Not just yet.

Any and all updates on my writing and other general - mainly Narnia related - things will be posted on my Instagram @opheliabennet, so if you fancy it, go follow me on there.

My Love, Always.

~ Ophelia X

(Note Written - 28/02/2021)

♚

𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐲

Maria stared out over Lake Kibo from the balcony of her small house at the top of a hill. The thought that those pebbled shores and clear water had once seemed so repulsive to her could have been a distant daydream. What she would have given to go back to the orphanage now. The rally that afternoon had been the biggest she'd ever seen and, as incredible as that was, she knew what the consequences would be.

She had moved into a house with Aliona when the Mizushima family had disowned their daughter and fired her maid servant. After the two young women had first spoken out about the injustices of the Elite-People segregation and the denial of the People's rights, Aliona's family had wasted no time in making their lack of association with this movement very clear. Three years later, and the passion of the People had grown enough to turn the heads of even the highest of the Elites.

Disturbing the peace was a crime. And three times had one of Maria's protests caused somewhat of a riot in the streets. Members of the People would usually leave their homes and places of work to join the crowd that would gather around where Maria and Aliona stood; sometimes standing on the base of the Elite statues, the low rooves of the People's school houses, and anywhere else they could make their voices heard. But the riots were rare and unpredictable.

Earlier that day, Aliona had managed to haul herself up onto a building and had somehow made the jump from the roof to the ten feet wall that divided the People's Town and the Elite estates. Using a handheld mirror, she had reflected the light from one of the Island's suns to catch the eyes of the servants up in the closest of the estates. By the time Maria had arrived with the vocal amplifiers and the crowns the two had woven from the flowers in their garden, a hoard of servants were gathered on the other side of the wall.

Tossing in amplifier up to Aliona, Maria hurled half of the crowns over the wall, passing the rest out amongst their gathered from the Town. Aliona began to speak of her family, of what they and undoubtedly the other Elite families hide behind the walls of their estates. It hadn't been the plan, but watching the sheer ferocity in Aliona's eyes as she fought to stay balance on top of the wall, Maria couldn't fault her. Some secret will choke you if they stayed hidden forever.

No Elites came to the gathering, even as the cries of the People grew louder and louder, ever as they began flinging bad food and rubbish over the wall and into Elite territory. But Maria knew that they were watching. They always were.

There was a shout from the front of the house, but Maria didn't move, nor turn when Aliona hurried into the room.

"They're here," she said.

"They were going to come sooner or later." Maria closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "You need to leave now."

"What?" Aliona came to stand beside her. "No, I'm not going anywhere."

"There's no need for you to stay. They won't go looking for you. There's more work that can be done."

"But don't you think it would send a bigger message if an Elite were to die for our cause."

Maria finally turned to Aliona, her eyes stinging as she clutched her friend's shoulders. "You are not going to die," she said firmly.

"That's a lie," Aliona whispered as armed Elites filed into the room. "And you know it."

Maria dropped her eyes to the floor. "Yeah," she said, her voice hardly audible. "I know."