"Are you okay, Your Majesty?" Tavros asked as they packed their bags and started on their journey once again.

Sophie's body was still getting used to the loss of blood but the water had given her the strength that she needed. Light was taking over the darkness that danced before her eyes. "I'm a little tired, Tavros. Would you mind if I rest my eyes for a while?"

"Not at all, Your Majesty. It has been a pretty long journey so far. We'll reach Ramandu's Island in a few hours." After an hour of rest, she started to tell him what had happened underwater. "She sounds completely awful, if I might say."

"Oh she was very irritating! But there is a saying that we don't know who the villain or the hero is because they are two sides of the same coin. A villain is only a hero whose story hasn't been told yet."

"I might have to disagree with you there. In our lives, it is very evident who the real hero is. Your Majesty." He bowed his head at her.

"Thank you, Tavors." A genuine smile spread on her face. She was far from a hero but she would accept this. "Now that we have finished our part, what do you think you'll do next?"

"I wouldn't mind a nice meal," a chuckle escaped him. "I only want to go home if I'm being honest. I would love to feel the warmth of Telmar again after months of this journey."

"As do I, Tavros. As do I." It would be a dream come true to go back to Telmar. It was the place that brought her back to life and it would always be the first place that she would look forward to seeing.

"You are coming back after almost a year if I'm not wrong?"

"Yes. Have things changed a lot since the Battle of Beruna?"

"Narnia can never change in the eyes of its sons and daughters, Your Majesty. There haven't been many changes but I wouldn't mind to see you on the throne." He gasped. "I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I shouldn't have said that."

So, word had gotten out about my intentions, she thought. The Asian woman and the Indian girl she had met before her coronation must have spread word around. 

"Don't worry." She shook her head. "I won't take you wrong at all. It is nice to talk with someone who likes to talk so freely. I need that after everything that has happened."

"I hope that you don't think that I want to force you on the throne or anything. It is just that, the past year has been a little bit gloomy and there have been rumours spreading around."

Sophie frowned. "What rumours?"

"I should not have said that." He shook his head. "Why can't I keep my mouth shut?"

"Oh, come on, Tavros. You aren't saying anything that hasn't already been said, right? I hope people haven't been speaking wrong about anything though. I don't want any misunderstanding between anyone."

Tavros couldn't meet her eyes. "The people of Narnia.....we were actually hoping for a wedding soon. We thought that once you got crowned, the King would propose soon."

"Why? Are people not happy with Caspian's rule?"

She was getting defensive all of a sudden. The throne was as much as Caspian's as it was hers, but the native Narnians only considered Sophie to be the real ruler. When Caspian and Sophie had talked about this, he had told her that he didn't care if people didn't see him as a ruler because all he wanted was to stay by her side - as the King, as her consort, as her partner.

"We are very much happy, Your Majesty. But we were praying for His Majesty's happiness."

"Oh!" Sophie exclaimed, getting what he was implying. "And were people trying to force Caspian into marriage?" He looked hesitant to reveal it. "We can move on from the topic just after you answer that. I promise."

"They did. The Fae did." He sighed. "But His Majesty refused all the points that were put forward. I only know because I was present at the court when he made the official announcement, and I do hope that you don't take this the wrong way."

"Not at all. I was going to hear about this one way or another. And I am glad that I could hear it from a friend."

"I'm grateful that you still think of me as your friend."

"You were my friend before and you will be my friend." She smiled reassuringly.

After a few hours passed by, where they continued talking about their favourite books, Tavros informed that they were nearing Ramandu's Island and that they would reach once night fell. The two of them watched the sun set down beyond the horizon while Sophie was counting the minutes as they went by.

"I wanted to thank you, Tavros. For accompanying me to the island and for keeping what happened a secret." She had told him everything that had happened and requested him to not tell anyone about it. "I know it must not be easy lying on behalf of me but it necessary. We don't want to cause panic among the people."

"Of course, Your Majesty. It was my pleasure to have spent these three days with you. I promise to honour your friendship till my last breath. It has been a real honour to having been able to accompany you, if not protect you as I was supposed to."

"I might get a little emotional." She laughed. "But that is completely normal."

Once the moon shone high in the sky and the stars covered the never-ending dark sky, the boat reached the shores of Ramandu's Island. Tavros tied the boat along with the other boats that were already docked.

"We're almost home." She smiled to herself.

"After you, Your Majesty." He beckoned for her to go first.

It was a long climb to reach the top of the hill and the entire path was lined with trees that seemed to be giving them the way. Sophie could still somehow sense the illuminated path as she had back at the castle underwater. She knew that she was going to go home soon. 

The two of them came out to a clearing where a long table stood waiting for them with all the food that you could imagine. Candlesticks lit regular intervals and once the two travellers came out of the shadows, the fellow crew members came to greet them.

"The Enchantress has been defeated," Sophie announced, sending applause and cheers around. Tavros bowed down to her as did everyone else. "Your wish has come true." She told him and pointed to the table. "Thank you, Tavros." She told him once more before he joined his crew mates.

"Welcome back, Your Majesty," Drinian greeted her.

"Thank you, Drinian. Where are the Kings and Queen Lucy?"

"They are at the end of this path, Your Majesty."

"Thank you. Please, enjoy."

Sophie asked everyone to sit back down after which, she walked down the dark and gloomy path that Drinian had pointed out. The stones below her feet were broken and made a crunching sound as she walked to meet her family.

"You're most beautiful." She heard Caspian's voice.

"If my form is distracting, I can change form," a soft and melodious voice answered.

"No!" Sophie heard Edmund exclaim as she came out of the bushes and into the clearing.

Lucy was the first to notice her, seeming to be quite annoyed at the boys. Sophie couldn't blame her for it either. There was too much testosterone in the air. "Sophie!"

"Hey everyone." Sophie waved awkwardly and moved to stand next to Lucy as she wondered who the lady in white was.

"You're back!" Caspian exclaimed, a little guilt washing over the happiness in his eyes. What had he been thinking?

"Yeah, I'll explain everything later."

"Sophie Adams," the woman in white spoke. "We meet at last. My name is Lilliandil." The woman introduced herself in a musical voice. "I'm Ramandu's daughter."

"You're a star!" Sophie exclaimed, piecing together the fact that she was glowing blue and was wearing a white dress. It was how she had drawn a star once in a competition.

Lilliandil nodded. "Yes, I am."

"H-how did you know my name?"

"I've been watching over you ever since you came back to Narnia. Coriakin was my father's friend. I have heard a lot about your parents. I'm truly sorry for what happened to them. My family has tried to search for you ever since the First Battle took place but unfortunately, we have a different form in the world where you came from. But it makes me very happy to see that you are happy."

"Thank you. I would love to talk more with you but I think that I may have interrupted something." She looked around at everyone.

"I'm afraid that you did." Lilliandil smiled politely. "But we will talk more once you go back to Narnia."

"I'd like that." She nodded.

Sophie really liked the young star. She could imagine them being friends, and she was quite right, because this was a friendship that would last beyond the rules of life and death.

"You don't have much time," Lilliandil started speaking in a serious tone. "You must defeat the darkness only by devoting one among yourself to Aslan as well as getting the Seven Swords at Aslan's Table."

"We only found six." Edmund pointed out as Sophie was trying to catch up to whatever was happening.

"The final sword," Lilliandil turned around. "Is there." She pointed to the....

"Dark Island," Sophie whispered.

"You must find the sword immediately and place all of them on the Table before night falls tomorrow."

"Why is that?" Lucy asked on behalf of all of them.

"The Emerald Enchantress has been defeated, with the graces of Queen Sophie," Lilliandil revealed and that was the first time someone had addressed her that way. "But that would mean that the Green Mist is free without anyone to control it. You will face it on the Island but beware. Do not think about anything as it surrounds you. The Mist has the power to make your worst nightmares come true, whether it is being controlled by someone or not."

"Does that mean that I just made the situation worse?" Sophie asked.

"Quite the opposite. The Mist would have been worse to deal with if you hadn't defeated the Witch controlling it. All of Narnia, myself included, thank you for it." Lilliandil bowed her head at Sophie. "The restrictions on the merpeople have been lifted. They asked me to give you this." She brought her hands forward to give her something. "They also asked me to inform you that inside the dial, there is a potion that you most desire."

"What potion?" Sophie asked as she took it from her and saw that it was a pocket watch.

"You'll find that out at the end. The answer must have patience lying in the wait."

"Thank you," Sophie said. "One more question. How do we devote one among us?"

"One of you must willingly follow the lilies," Lilliandil told vaguely. "The answer will be clear at the end of your journey. Take rest for tonight, Your Majesties. The day after tomorrow is going to make all the difference. Long may you reign!" 

She then turned into a small all of white flames before going back home, praying the entire way that the journey that would behold the true rulers the next morning would ensure their safety. 

"Woah!" Sophie searched for her among the other stars but Lucy had pulled her into a bear hug, claiming her full attention.

"Oh, I was so worried!"

"I'm glad that you're okay," Edmund said, joining the hug.

Sophie looked at Caspian, who was wondering whether to join the hug or not. "Come on." She offered him her hand and pulled him in. "Thank you everyone."

"Shall we go eat? I'm starving!" Edmund exclaimed.

"When are you not hungry?" Sophie joked.

"Touche," he said and they broke out laughing, except for Caspian.

"Is everything okay?" Sophie asked him as they made their way towards the table.

"Can we talk once we get to the ship?" He looked so tense that she simply nodded and gave him some time to himself.

Lucy and Edmund filled Sophie in at what had happened in her absence. "He turned into what! And I missed it? Oh man!" Dragons were her symbol. Being who she was, she had claimed cake and dragons as her own.

"It was scary when he lifted me and flew off." 

"I cannot believe that I missed this." Sophie kicked herself mentally for her luck. She loved dragons and the fact that they actually existed was super exciting. She always joked that she wanted a dragon for a pet. "What happened next?"

"We stayed the night there," Lucy said. "It does seem that Eustace has made a new friend."

"Who?" Sophie asked and looked around. "Reep?" She wondered, noticing his absence.

"We can't believe it either!" 

"Well, the best friendships have been the unexpected ones."

The siblings looked at her and then at each other. "I'll drink to that," Edmund said, lifting his goblet in the air.

"You're two years younger than me and we are drinking water," Sophie reminded him.

He scoffed. "Let's just pretend that it is wine." Then, Sophie told them about what happened on her journey. "Were the statues cold?" He asked once she had gotten to the part where she entered the castle. The pictures of a certain other Witch's lair came into his mind.

"No, quite the contrary, really. Why?"

"Nothing." He shook his head.

"She had a bird imprisoned out of all the animals that she could choose. How cruel is that? The bird wouldn't have been able to escape even if she wanted to because she was underwater."

"'She'?" Lucy asked.

"Well, I thought that it was a female bird," Sophie said, wishing that she had paid attention to her classes. "I do hope that she is okay and that she is happy wherever she is."

"I'm sure that she is fine," Lucy assured her. "After all, it was you who saved her."

"Oh, you guys are so sweet!" Sophie said in awe, making all of them laugh.

Sophie looked at Caspian telling Drinian the plans for the next morning. She was getting a little worried about what he wanted to talk to her about. He was missing the story - his loss. Although she did tell him it later on. Meanwhile, Caspian was going through what he wanted to tell Sophie. He had been stupid to not appreciate her enough. He had to tell her the truth about how he felt.

"We will be heading back in half an hour. Pack your cases," Drinian informed the crew members, reminding them to start packing.

"Hey." Sophie approached Caspian. "Is everything okay? You barely ate and don't even get me started on-" She was going to complain about his intake of water when he interrupted.

"I do need to talk to you," he confessed. "Will you meet me at our spot?"

"You can count on it."

"Oh, Sophie....." he said with pain in his eyes.

"Caspian, what's the matter?"

"I'll tell you everything. Soon."

*****

Cast

Anthonia Thomas as Lilliandil