As the day of the ceremony aka my birthday neared, a big task was thrown at my head – choosing my crown.

Every day, the royal crown maker would show me designs about what my crown could look like. I felt really bad for him because he had to deal with someone like me, an uncooperative brat.

I couldn't make a decision as all the designs and sample pictures that he showed me looked alike. It was so hard to choose one! "All the crowns look good, Alessandro." I told him. He sounded Italian but he wouldn't know that, now would he?

"No, miss. You have to choose one." He was very patient with me. That was really surprising but I had a feeling that he was a patient person in general.

I had to tell him what I would prefer in my crown and what my favourite flowers were. He had conducted a small interview with everyone in the castle and asked them what I was like. "Why is it necessary?"

"So that I can find out more about you and know exactly how to make you the perfect crown."

Narnians on the other hand just wanted me to show up to the ceremony and take the pledge and the oath. I was so thankful to Glenstorm when he told me that.

Everyone was making a fuss as the day approached. The entire castle was cleaned, every room was made into a brighter place, every chandelier were polished and carpets were lain down in the ballroom and the throne room.

The Royal painter, Franchesca was behind both Caspian and myself to get our individual paintings done. Caspian was stuck with her because she could only paint my portrait once I had decided on the crown. It was nice seeing him wear his crown again. The last time he had worn it was the night he had revealed his feelings for me.

"You need to have your first dance as well." The Professor informed me during one of the meals.

"I can take care of that." Caspian said.

"I know you can." The Professor chuckled and I couldn't help but blush. "But Sophie has to be really careful with her royal gown."

"My royal gown?" I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Yes, your royal gown." The Professor said. "Hasn't Claire informed you yet?"

I shook my head. That was another fuss that I was going to have deal with - the extremely potentially heavy dress. "No, she hasn't."

Then, I spent majority of time at Claire's while she figured out how she wanted my gown to look like. She brought out various pieces of cloth and placed them on me. "No, that's not right." She mumbled to herself.

"Can you please try to make it as simple as possible?"

"I can try my best but I need all eyes on you."

"And that's exactly what I don't want." I mumbled.

She brought out various shade cards and kept them near my face. "White seems to be the best option now. Considering the weather."

"White seems good."

As I left Claire's with Trumpkin by my side, there were a group of people at the end of the street that were looking at me suspiciously. "Who are they?" I asked him.

Trumpkin looked at them and tried to take me away from them. "No one you need to know."

"But who are they?" I stopped walking.

He sighed. "Do you really want to know?"

"Do you think I will let you be in peace if you don't?"

He blinked. "Fair enough." I sat on my knees as he started whispering. "Sophie, there is a group of people that basically doesn't want you ruling the kingdom ever since news broke out."

"Is that so?"

"Which is why we need to go back to the castle as soon as possible." He revealed and started walking uphill.

I turned around to look at the small group and walked exactly the opposite way Trumpkin wanted me to go. "Good evening." They were surprised that I was there and when they didn't reply to my wish, I continued talking. "I heard that you don't want me to be the ruler of this kingdom."

They looked at each other and were taken aback. Trumpkin pulled my arm but I told him to wait. "Change is never good for anyone." One of them said.

"I completely agree." I said. "I know a lot about things changing and I've been I've enemy to it all my life. I want you to know that I have no intention of forcefully taking the kingdom from King Caspian. He is my King as he is yours."

They looked confused at that. "How do we know that you won't?" One of them asked.

"Change is never good, right?" I asked them. "I have been feeling the same way ever since news broke out. All the different behaviour and fuss is driving me crazy!" It looked like they were re-thinking their opinions about me. "I wish things could go back to the way they were but they can't. We are on the same side here."

"All right." The woman among them said. "I believe you."

I was surprised by that but I did not let it show. "It would be of great help if you could spread the word around." I walked away because Trumpkin practically dragged me away. "I hope you can make it to the coronation." I turned around and smiled at them. And you know what? So did they.

"I don't know what you were thinking." Trumpkin said, irritably.

"I wasn't. I need the people on my side, Trumpkin. I can't have them hating me. I may be an outsider, but I cannot be an ignorant one."

Alessandro was waiting for me in the study. He got fed up after I couldn't decide the millionth design that he showed me. "I beg of you, Miss Soph." He said. "Please just choose one."

"I'm trying, Al but this is too hard! You've put me in tremendous pressure here."

We called each other Soph and Al since we spent practically every minute together. We became good friends as well.

He laid out five pictures in front of me. "These are the final designs."

"All of them are pretty." I touched one of them that called out to me.

"I know that all of them are pretty. Please just choose one." He begged.

I looked through the designs seriously that time. All of them looked the same but one spoke out to me. I touched the ring around my neck and felt like my parents were with me. Maybe they were. "That one." I pointed to the one I liked the best.

"Perfect choice." He said. "I was going to choose that one for you if you hadn't made the decision within the hour."

I laughed. "Maybe I should have waited for an hour then." He looked at me furiously. "I'm kidding!"

"Okay." He took all the designs in his hand. "It's going to be an amazing ceremony." He said, visualising that day. "I'll bring the crown on the day of the ceremony." He told me before leaving.

"Thank you for everything." I told him. "And I apologise for everything as well."

"Stay in touch." He told me and I walked him to the stables.