ignite me / p. pevensie

chapter twenty-three

Rowyn's palms burn liked hell as she breathed hard. Her shoulders rising and falling fast. The pain from her palms completely diluted the pain from her broken hand as she leaned on them.

When sounds of confusion arose from the Calormene people in front of her, she lifted her head. Her mind felt like it was going a million miles an hour.

And her chest—no fire rested there, just cold embers.

"Rowyn," Peter came to her side and cupped her cheeks with his palms. "A-Are you okay?"

She looked into his beautiful blue eyes and opened her mouth to speak. "I—I don't know." Was all she said before she began to stand with Peter's help.

The pair turned towards the crowd of confused people. Rowyn instantly noticed their eyes.

They were no longer all one shade. Their eyes were like a rainbow of different colors—varying from person to person.

"Jadis invaded your lands over a hundred years ago." A new voice said—Aslan said, coming to stand beside Edmund and Rowyn. "She corrupted you all, made you her slaves but you are free now."

Aslan turned to Rowyn and she took a wobbly step out of Peter's arms. "I am Queen Adeline's daughter,"—shocked gasps sounded from the crowd— "She believed in your diverse lands—in the love that you built your cities from . . . Rebuild your lives—your land. Fill it will love and acceptance. Honor Queen Adeline and rebuild your world! You are free now . . . your freedom is yours and yours alone! No one will ever take it from you again!" Tears began to outline the bottoms of her eyes as she spoke. "Go wherever you wish—no one will stop you! Narnia will welcome anyone who wishes to follow us back home! Or stay here—the choice is yours! You are free now! You get to control your lives now!" Rowyn shouted so that everyone would hear her.

The people began to speak out, shouting something in a different language. "What does it mean?" Edmund asked Aslan from behind Rowyn as he too came closer to observe the crowd.

"It means Savior in their native tongue." Aslan smiled gently at Rowyn as more tears filled her eyes. "I will stay here in Calormene and assist them in the rebuilding of their empire . . . in helping with any trauma they may have after the years enslaved. Adeline is proud, Fireheart." Rowyn gave him the best smile she could muster given her exhaustion and nodded.

"T-Thank you." She turned back towards the crowd and saw Prince Rabadash stumble forward with his father. Both the men were sobbing and falling to their knees in front of Rowyn and Peter.

"I'm sorry." They both repeated over and over and then rested their foreheads against the ground.

Rowyn gripped Peter's arm and she blinked away more tears. "It wasn't you doing those things . . ."

Both the men looked up and the King gripped his sons hand. "Please—we don't deserve your mercy . . ." Rowyn bit her lip and shared a look with Aslan—who nodded—and then turned to Susan.

Susan held rage in her eyes as she stepped forward and stood next to Rowyn. "If you want justice for what happened . . . now is your chance." Aslan told her while Rowyn lovingly rubbed her back.

Susan looked to Rowyn, asking a question with her eyes. Rowyn nodded and grabbed Edmund's sword, handing it to the tall brown-haired girl. Rowyn stumbled into Peter's arms as she turned to look away as Susan swung the sword across both of the men's necks as she shouted out in pain and rage. Two thuds sounded after.

Peter noticed Rowyn's exhaustion and scooped her up into his arms. "Thank you . . ." Her voice was tired and lazy as she struggled to keep her eyes open.

As Peter held her, he leaned forward to kiss her forehead—not caring about the sweat that covered it. "Sleep . . . you've been through hell, Fireheart." She gave him a sleepy, small smile and allowed sleep to devour her entirely.