fic: in which lucy begins to be queen
Feb. 14th, 2004 09:26 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
bantha_fodderI've started writing a series of Narnia fics, set during the Golden Age of Narnia, when the Pevensies ruled from Cair Paravel. Some of the stories I have started writing, and some of them are mere twinkles, and some of them I have not even thought of yet.
This story is actually the second story, and I know that this is bad form, but the first story is unlikely to be completed any time in the near future, as it is Peter's story and Peter is long-winded and noble and has to analyse and reconsider everything. So a moment with Peter is a lifetime, and I could conceivably split it up, but I don't want to. And yes, the first story would go a long way to giving the rest of the series a lot of its meaning, but after the first couple of stories it starts to make its own sort of sense anyway.
So moving on:
'Gold Flashed and Wine Flowed' is a phrase taken from 'The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe' and it is from the day after the battle, when they start celebrating and are crowned Kings and Queens of Narnia. This series takes place immediatly after the coronation ceremony.
Title: In Which Lucy Begins to Be Queen
Series: Gold Flashed and Wine Flowed
Rating: a calm G
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, or settings. Narnia is, I assume, a part of the Estate of C.S. Lewis.
Summary: "It was not a good reason to go to war, but it was one she could live with."
Betaed by the lovely holographis
AN: this fic is set shortly after the Pevensies are crowned, no more than three days after the ceremony.
In Which Lucy Begins to Be Queen
*
"Mister Tumnus," cried Lucy, "you mustn't go!" The youngest Queen of Narnia held tight to her friend's arm and refused to let go. "You mustn't!"
"Dear Lucy," the faun shook his head as he tried to release her grasp on his arm. "I will go, as you know that I must. It is the way of the world, that the men are called away in times of war."
"Leave the fighting to Peter and Edmund. They are still fit, and they are Kings, and that is what they are for! You are old, and should stay here with me!"
Tumnus' face grew grave in Lucy's desperation, for it was the fear and worry that made her give voice to such thoughts, when usually she was a considerate and sensible girl.
"I know you are concerned for me, so I will overlook your words, my Queen," he said as he gently removed her hand. "But this is no behaviour for a Queen such as yourself. I am honoured to follow your brothers, the Kings of Narnia, and to fight in the name of Aslan."
Tumnus kissed Lucy softly and held her close. "Remember this always, Queen Lucy, Valiant of Narnia. You will fear for all of Narnia. You will rejoice for all of Narnia. You will grieve for all of Narnia. No one loyal citizen of Narnia should cause you such pain, unless all do." Tumnus released Lucy and headed towards the door. "And now I follow your brothers, wherever they will lead me. And I go not for you, my Queen, though I love you with all of my heart. I go for Narnia."
The door closed behind the faun as Lucy collapsed onto her cushions and cried; large tears of sorrow, which we shall not speak of, but also tears of shame, for she felt she had shamed Narnia by thinking such selfish thoughts. Yet even as she wept, she repented, and soon leapt from her cushions and ran from the room, skirts streaming behind her as she wiped the tears from her face. She arrived at the gates of Cair Paravel just as the party was parading through, and threw herself at Tumnus.
“I’m awfully sorry,” she said sincerely, holding Tumnus close. “I did not mean it that way, and I couldn’t bear the thought of you leaving thinking I was that awful.”
Mister Tumnus smiled and held her also. “I would never think that, Daughter of Eve. I know that you love Narnia more than anyone else.”
Lucy heard laughter behind her and turned to see her brother Edmund, armour-clad and grinning. “Come on, Lu. Let go of my Narnians and run back into the castle like a good girl.”
Lucy ran at him, and Edmund dropped his shield with a clatter in order to hold Lucy back. She laughed as she swung at him, and he helped her avoid his armour, because it would hurt her if her bare and open hands hit it. Their laughter and yelling brought them to the attention of the rest of the party, and to High King Peter.
“Lu! Edmund!” Lucy and Edmund stopped their battle and looked at Peter guiltily.
“Sorry, Peter,” muttered Edmund with a grin, as Lucy bent down to pick up Edmund’s shield. “No, Lu, I’ll do that,” he said to her and bent to push her away. They met at his shield and grinned at each other. Edmund crossed his eyes. Lucy kissed him briefly on his cheek.
“Don’t die,” whispered Lucy. “Don’t let anyone die for Narnia. Narnia wants life, not death.”
Edmund stood up, buckled on his shield, and the party marched away at the head of the column of Narnians, leaving Lucy and the women and remaining courtesans to wave as they departed for uncertain places. After the final Narnian had disappeared, Lucy had turned and ushered the women and courtesans through the gates and into Cair Paravel itself, where they would be safe, and she could make plans for the future.
As the women moved back into the castle, Lucy watched the empty horizon. They would rouse the help of loyal Narnians, and push out the remaining followers of the White Witch. Without the White Witch’s support, the few dark places left in Narnia would become true again. It was not a good reason to go to war, but it was one she could live with.
Lucy turned her back and waved to the gate guards, who swung the gate shut behind her. She re-entered Cair Paravel ready to do what she could. She could do more than just wait and think (In times of war, all women can do more than sit and wait). Lucy would be strong for Narnia, and it would be strong for her. She would look after Narnia whilst the men were away, because in times of war, it is important that there be a home to come back to when the fighting is done.
This story is actually the second story, and I know that this is bad form, but the first story is unlikely to be completed any time in the near future, as it is Peter's story and Peter is long-winded and noble and has to analyse and reconsider everything. So a moment with Peter is a lifetime, and I could conceivably split it up, but I don't want to. And yes, the first story would go a long way to giving the rest of the series a lot of its meaning, but after the first couple of stories it starts to make its own sort of sense anyway.
So moving on:
'Gold Flashed and Wine Flowed' is a phrase taken from 'The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe' and it is from the day after the battle, when they start celebrating and are crowned Kings and Queens of Narnia. This series takes place immediatly after the coronation ceremony.
Title: In Which Lucy Begins to Be Queen
Series: Gold Flashed and Wine Flowed
Rating: a calm G
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, or settings. Narnia is, I assume, a part of the Estate of C.S. Lewis.
Summary: "It was not a good reason to go to war, but it was one she could live with."
Betaed by the lovely holographis
AN: this fic is set shortly after the Pevensies are crowned, no more than three days after the ceremony.
In Which Lucy Begins to Be Queen
*
"Mister Tumnus," cried Lucy, "you mustn't go!" The youngest Queen of Narnia held tight to her friend's arm and refused to let go. "You mustn't!"
"Dear Lucy," the faun shook his head as he tried to release her grasp on his arm. "I will go, as you know that I must. It is the way of the world, that the men are called away in times of war."
"Leave the fighting to Peter and Edmund. They are still fit, and they are Kings, and that is what they are for! You are old, and should stay here with me!"
Tumnus' face grew grave in Lucy's desperation, for it was the fear and worry that made her give voice to such thoughts, when usually she was a considerate and sensible girl.
"I know you are concerned for me, so I will overlook your words, my Queen," he said as he gently removed her hand. "But this is no behaviour for a Queen such as yourself. I am honoured to follow your brothers, the Kings of Narnia, and to fight in the name of Aslan."
Tumnus kissed Lucy softly and held her close. "Remember this always, Queen Lucy, Valiant of Narnia. You will fear for all of Narnia. You will rejoice for all of Narnia. You will grieve for all of Narnia. No one loyal citizen of Narnia should cause you such pain, unless all do." Tumnus released Lucy and headed towards the door. "And now I follow your brothers, wherever they will lead me. And I go not for you, my Queen, though I love you with all of my heart. I go for Narnia."
The door closed behind the faun as Lucy collapsed onto her cushions and cried; large tears of sorrow, which we shall not speak of, but also tears of shame, for she felt she had shamed Narnia by thinking such selfish thoughts. Yet even as she wept, she repented, and soon leapt from her cushions and ran from the room, skirts streaming behind her as she wiped the tears from her face. She arrived at the gates of Cair Paravel just as the party was parading through, and threw herself at Tumnus.
“I’m awfully sorry,” she said sincerely, holding Tumnus close. “I did not mean it that way, and I couldn’t bear the thought of you leaving thinking I was that awful.”
Mister Tumnus smiled and held her also. “I would never think that, Daughter of Eve. I know that you love Narnia more than anyone else.”
Lucy heard laughter behind her and turned to see her brother Edmund, armour-clad and grinning. “Come on, Lu. Let go of my Narnians and run back into the castle like a good girl.”
Lucy ran at him, and Edmund dropped his shield with a clatter in order to hold Lucy back. She laughed as she swung at him, and he helped her avoid his armour, because it would hurt her if her bare and open hands hit it. Their laughter and yelling brought them to the attention of the rest of the party, and to High King Peter.
“Lu! Edmund!” Lucy and Edmund stopped their battle and looked at Peter guiltily.
“Sorry, Peter,” muttered Edmund with a grin, as Lucy bent down to pick up Edmund’s shield. “No, Lu, I’ll do that,” he said to her and bent to push her away. They met at his shield and grinned at each other. Edmund crossed his eyes. Lucy kissed him briefly on his cheek.
“Don’t die,” whispered Lucy. “Don’t let anyone die for Narnia. Narnia wants life, not death.”
Edmund stood up, buckled on his shield, and the party marched away at the head of the column of Narnians, leaving Lucy and the women and remaining courtesans to wave as they departed for uncertain places. After the final Narnian had disappeared, Lucy had turned and ushered the women and courtesans through the gates and into Cair Paravel itself, where they would be safe, and she could make plans for the future.
As the women moved back into the castle, Lucy watched the empty horizon. They would rouse the help of loyal Narnians, and push out the remaining followers of the White Witch. Without the White Witch’s support, the few dark places left in Narnia would become true again. It was not a good reason to go to war, but it was one she could live with.
Lucy turned her back and waved to the gate guards, who swung the gate shut behind her. She re-entered Cair Paravel ready to do what she could. She could do more than just wait and think (In times of war, all women can do more than sit and wait). Lucy would be strong for Narnia, and it would be strong for her. She would look after Narnia whilst the men were away, because in times of war, it is important that there be a home to come back to when the fighting is done.
