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WALKING IN THE WIND
xx. EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD

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  WHEN HOPE WOKE UP, she couldn't fight the feeling that today would be a very, very terrible day. Granted, she'd been feeling this way on constant repeat for the past few days, but the feeling was still there nevertheless.

  Now that Odette's birthday had passed, Cair Paravel exploded with eager anticipation for the royal wedding. The day everyone was waiting for, the wedding that would save Wysteria, was almost here. At the end of the week, on June 1st, was the royal wedding. Originally, Hope didn't want the day to ever arrive for many reasons, but now that the days drew nearer and nearer, she just wanted to get it over with already.

  Between the nonstop preparations and everyone's excitement and trying to keep the melodramatic princess calm before her big day and trying to please King David and Queen Lydia, Hope didn't have time to worry about herself anymore. There were more important things that required her attention. And while she'd been accustomed to the chaos that came with being Odette's lady-in-waiting for years, that didn't mean hers was an easy job.

  Hope was undeniably busy. She was in higher demand lately, as she would be handling the bride on her wedding day for the most part. She hardly ever stayed in one place for long before she had to run off again. The Narnians and Wysterians knew Hope was good at her job, but they never realized how difficult and busy it was until she was spotted running from one end of Cair Paravel to the other and back within minutes.

  Hope was beginning to believe that dealing with a stupid death sentence would be better than dealing with... well, everything on her plate at the moment. But alas, she was too busy to fully entertain the thought, so she figured she'd just suck it up — for now.

  That being said, Edmund hadn't spoken to Hope since the ball. Sometimes, he caught glimpses of her fiery hair or heard her voice across the hall, but she was gone before he could get to her. He tried to tell himself that her recent absence from his life was a gift from Aslan, a message suggesting he should stop worrying about her and start thinking about the future of Wysteria. It sounded easy in theory, but although he hadn't seen her, she was on his mind more often than he wanted to admit.

  Odette wasn't doing any better either. Since Hope was constantly being sent away to do petty tasks (usually for her parents), Odette struggled to remain composed in the days leading up to the wedding. It frustrated her greatly knowing her parents always went out of their way to make her best friend's life miserable. But there was only so much she could do about it while her parents were still Wysteria's King and Queen. Odette prayed she could make it up to Hope after her coronation.

  Odette sat rigidly in a wooden chair, busily scribbling across pristine pieces of parchment. She dipped her eagle-feathered quill into a pot of black ink, focusing on not smearing the words or dribbling ink all over the paper. She'd done that several times already, and her mother bitched about it every single time. Everything must be perfect.

  "I always knew I'd be married off one day. I thought it'd be one of the happiest, most peaceful times of my life," Odette proclaimed, mostly to herself. "But now that it's nearly here, I think it's one of the most stressful."

  Susan was the only other person in the room. She stood nearby, gazing out at the world past the large windows. She could see servants hurriedly rushing around while Peter and Edmund sparred, kicking up grass and dirt with bright smiles. She could also see King David scolding his servants as Lucy vivaciously guided a group of guests on a tour around the castle. These guests were Narnia's allies who'd arrived for Odette's birthday, and they'd be staying until the wedding celebrations concluded.

  "These letters feel pointless," Odette said. "Mother swears it's polite to write to our allies as Wysteria's new Queen, but I haven't even been married yet!" She sighed, setting her quill aside. "I'm sorry. Complaining isn't very ladylike."

  A frown tugged at Susan's pouty lips. "You're only human, Odette. It's been a stressful few days. You're certainly entitled to a complaint or two... or three."

  Odette didn't mean to scoff as loudly as she did. "Tell that to my darling mother," she complained. "I'd never say it to her face, but it's hypocritical that she thinks complaining isn't ladylike when she complains about everything I do every chance she gets!"

  "That's just a Mum thing," chuckled Susan. "At least you still have your mum. I feel like I have to step into that role for my siblings."

  "That's silly. There's no law stating Susan Pevensie must pretend to be a mother!" Odette contended. "No one has to do anything. Responsibilities aren't even real. They're made up!"

  "Everything's made up," Susan countered. "Besides, if I don't do it, someone is bound to do it anyway, and I'd rather it be me than Peter. His temper would have us all dead or banned from Narnia by nightfall."

  "I'd rather deal with that than these letters."

  "Famous last words," Susan mused, her gaze flickering to the letters on the table. She cringed. "I remember writing to our allies after we restored Narnia. It was a nightmare. None of us had any clue what we were supposed to say. Hey, we just crawled through this wardrobe and ended the eternal winter by accident. D'you want to be allies again?"

  Odette hummed amusedly as she massaged her aching wrist. "I don't suppose you'd help me out if I teach you how to forge my signature, right?"

  "In your dreams, princess."

  "It was worth a shot."

  Odette's head snapped toward the door as it swung open. Hope trudged in with a look of exhaustion on her face. Odette shot upward from her seat, her energy instantly returning to her as she greeted, "FINALLY!" As she approached the handmaid, she looked her over, adding, "You look awful!"

  Hope huffed, blowing a strand of hair out of her face. "You know, Ode, I'm starting to think this job does not come with enough benefits," she muttered.

  "I feel the exact same way," Odette agreed. "I'm exhausted!"

  Hope just looked at Odette with that familiar stare Susan gave her siblings when they said something stupid.

  "Oh, you're exhausted?" mocked Hope. "These tasks your parents have been putting me up to are ridiculous! I just got back from dealing with your mother. She had me counting baskets of flower petals!"

  Susan and Odette exchanged bewildered glances. "Flower petals?" echoed Odette. "That's odd."

  "Even, actually. There were 602."

  The joke went completely over Odette's head. Thankfully, Susan laughed to fill what could've been an awkward pause.

  "Well, I'm not having much fun either," said Odette. "I should've finished these letters hours ago, but every time I smear the ink or the ink drips onto the parchment, I have to start over! My hands don't feel like hands anymore!"

  Hope inspected her best friend's face with a little grin. "I can tell. You've got ink all over your cheeks!" she laughed.

  Rolling her eyes, Odette whined, "I don't appreciate you laughing at me. I'm in pain! My hair's turning gray!"

  "Me, too!" Hope exclaimed with a delirious gasp. "Nothing says friendship like matching gray hairs."

  As the two erupted with hysteric giggles, Susan shook her head and said, "You two have such a strange sense of humor."

  "Oh, don't worry, Susan," Hope dismissed.

  "You'll join us soon enough," Odette chimed, throwing her arm around Hope lovingly. "When this wedding crap is done with, you'll be one of us. We'll be a trio!"

  "You sound excited for the wedding to be over," Susan noted, partly sarcastically.

  "Isn't everyone?" Odette challenged. "I thought it would be a quick affair. You know, like, POOF! Wysteria's saved! But apparently, it's not that simple! Honestly, you have all this magic, yet everything takes just as long as it normally would! Feels like we never left home, right, Hope?"

  Hope stared at Odette with furrowed eyebrows, thinking back to all of the magical incidents she'd witnessed this last month. "I think you're going mad," she decided after a moment.

  "Before you?" Odette gasped. She retracted her arm to hold Hope's face in her hands. Hope didn't fight it — this was normal. "How is that possible? You're a rock, Hope."

  "No, I'm just too busy to go mad."

  "Oh, believe me, I know," Odette said. "Do you have anywhere else to be? Are you done for the day?"

  "Sort of," Hope answered. "I've been assigned to make sure you don't screw up these letters."

  "Does that mean you'll write them for me?"

  "Of course not!" Hope exclaimed. "I'm exhausted! If you order me to do anything other than taking a nap, I will hurt you."

  "Not if I hurt you first!"

  "With what muscles?"

  "Oh, you think you're so cute," Odette opposed. "Even with your sword-fighting experience, I could beat you up with a corset on."

  As the three laughed, there was a gentle knock at the door. Hope's smile quickly fell. "If that's Queen Lydia or King David, I give both of you permission to kill me," the handmaid announced.

  "Oh gee, thanks," Odette replied. "You're so dramatic."

  "You're one to talk," Hope bantered as Susan opened the door. "Need I remind you of the time you nearly flung yourself off of your balcony because you were having a bad hair day?"

  "Like you're any better! Remember that time you finished that one book and you were so mad about the ending that you didn't speak to anyone for a week?" Odette shot back.

  "What about the time you—?"

  "Girls, please," chimed Susan. Despite her firm tone, there was a small smile on her face. She turned to the servant before her. "Yes, Mr. Beaver?"

  The beaver bowed his head. "I'm sorry for interrupting," he politely apologized, "but Lady Hope's presence is being requested by the King again. His Majesty wishes to see her in the gardens."

  Hope tilted her head back, eyes falling shut as she refrained from groaning. All she wanted was a break, and she couldn't even have that without King David or Queen Lydia calling for her. They were becoming more high maintenance than Odette, which was really saying something.

  She had to remind herself that Odette's parents were the reason why she had a roof over her head. The least she could do was be respectful and do what she was told.

  Without another complaint, Hope took off toward the gardens.

  There was a sense of urgency in her step as she slipped through the corridors of Cair Paravel, for she knew King David would complain if she kept him waiting. She wondered what King David would have her do this time. Perhaps he'd order her to somehow uproot an entire tree simply because it was in his path. Or maybe he'd have her mediate an argument with the tree since trees are magical in Narnia. Hope snickered at the thought.

  That brief moment of amusement quickly faded as she approached the threshold that would lead her outside. Hope stopped in her tracks, unintentionally scuffing the freshly mopped floors. A king was walking toward her — except it wasn't King David.

  Edmund's eyes lit up once he spotted her. His face was tinged red and his hair was slightly damp with sweat from sparring with his brother. Every little bad thing that'd put him in a mood these past few days were suddenly irrelevant once he spotted her.

  Unfortunately, Hope didn't feel the same way. Immediately, she turned on her heel. She was fully prepared to walk the other way and leave King David waiting even longer just to avoid crossing the Just King's path.

  "Hope!"

  Hope froze, muttering to herself defeatedly. She hesitantly turned back around. "Edmund!" she weakly mocked. She couldn't even try to hide the disappointment on her face. "Didn't... Didn't see you there!"

  Edmund cocked an eyebrow. "You're a horrible liar."

  "Well... I just... Thought I saw something in the other hall," she lied again. "It just looked like I was—"

  "Like you were running away from me?" Edmund interrupted. A mischievous glint crossed his gaze as he smirked at her. "Alright, I'll bite. What exactly did you think you saw?"

  Hope paused. "...Aslan?"

  "You don't sound so sure of yourself."

  "Ah, well, that's why I had to go back and look!" Hope revealed, clasping her hands nervously. She tried to avoid his gaze, but it was more difficult than she anticipated. It didn't help that her heart was racing either. Her shoulders fell as he eyed her. "Alright, fine, you caught me. I'm a liar!"

  Edmund gasped. "How could you?"

  "If you must know, I'm supposed to meet King David in the gardens," she revealed. "They should really start calling you the Nosy rather than the Just."

  "And what would you call me?"

  "Annoying."

  "Uh-huh, sure," Edmund dismissed. "So, you're supposed to be meeting David outside, and you decided to run away because you saw me. You know he despises being kept waiting, right?"

  Hope stared at him, dumbfounded. "No, Edmund, I've been working for King David and Queen Lydia for 16 years, and I never realized that! Thank you, really, you're so very helpful!" she exclaimed. "And I wasn't running away from you. I was just—"

  "Running away?"

  "No, I was—"

  "Avoiding me?"

  "I haven't been avoiding you!" Hope hissed. "Believe it or not, but there are three people that I have to prioritize over you, even if we're m—" She paused. "—the m-word."

  With raised eyebrows, he chortled in disbelief, "The m-word?"

  "Don't be daft. You know what I'm talking about," she groaned, nervously glancing around for any eavesdropping ears. Somehow, they were alone, though probably not for long. "With Odette and the wedding coming up, the last thing I need is for people to know that we're..."

  "You don't think anyone knows, do you?" Edmund wondered, his amused mood fading in an instant.

  "No, of course not. We've been careful. I mean, I haven't seen you in days."

  Edmund shook his head, suddenly asking, "Would it be so bad if the news came out?"

  She tilted her head, crossing her arms. "I dunno. D'you think it'd hurt if I got sentenced to death?" Hope sassed.

  Edmund paused. "You're mean when you're stressed," he pointed out. When she shot him a glare, he added, "...Maybe you do need a break."

  Ignoring his comments, Hope challenged, "In what world would people finding out about us end well?"

  Edmund thought it was obvious. "Well, first of all, you wouldn't have to walk around fearing for your life every other day. You'd have a place with me—us," he started. "David and Lydia wouldn't be able to punish you because you'd be protected. And you're of Wysterian descent, so restoring Wysteria would still be an option."

  Hope disagreed. "I can barely remember to brush my hair. I can't run a kingdom!" she disputed. "I'm nowhere near qualified. You'd have better luck coronating a cloud."

  "Maybe, but—Hold on, a cloud? This again?"

  "Yes, Edmund, a cloud!"

  "Clouds can't talk, dove."

  "Oh, so animals can talk and plants have feelings and fairies exist, but you draw the line at clouds?" Hope quarreled. "Never mind. That's not the point. Odette's been waiting for this her entire life. You haven't heard how she talks about the future of Wysteria. No one cares more about Wysteria and its people than her. This is her chance to prove herself to her parents and everyone, you know? It's like it's her fate to be Queen."

  "Actually, I have," admitted Edmund. "We've spent plenty of time together, especially this week, which you'd know if you weren't avoiding me."

  "For the last time, I'm not avoiding..." she trailed off. Hope sighed. "I've been busy. You know that."

  "And what about right now?" challenged Edmund, slowly moving closer to her.

  "That's different," Hope argued. "You were in my way."

  "And your initial instinct is to run away?" Edmund shot back. "I know this isn't the first time you've done it, by the way. This is just the first time I called you out for it."

  Hope's eyes widened as she faltered. "You... You notice?"

  Edmund scoffed. "Hope, I can't get you out of my head half the time! Of course, I notice!" he insisted.

  Hope bit her cheek to stop herself from smiling, though her blushing cheeks didn't do her any favors. "You... You know why we can't be seen together," she reminded him. "If anyone even thinks that we—"

  "I know, but—"

  "Ed, focus!" she interrupted. "We're just kids, you know? This is just a... a crush. It'll go away, just like any other crush. And then you'll fall in love with Odette, just like how you're supposed to, and we'll forget this ever happened! Fate will work itself out again, and everything will be fine."

  "Are you telling me that, or are you trying to convince yourself that?"

  "Both," she sincerely answered. She cringed at how her voice wavered. She was only realizing now how close he was to her, and it was making her nervous. "It's just... the wedding's almost here—"

  He rolled his eyes. "Believe me, I know," he bitterly muttered.

  Sympathy filled her. "I'm sorry. I wish it didn't have to be this way, but some fates are inescapable," she told him, frowning.

  "Fate's bullshit, and you know it," Edmund disagreed. "If fate's real, then don't you think it's trying to tell us something? Maybe what happened to us happened for a reason."

  "I've risked just about everything I have left because of our accident, Ed," she replied, exasperated. "When the past is set in stone, all we can do is prepare for the future and fix what we can. We still have control over that, at the very least. It's frustrating, but that's just how it is. There's nothing we can do about it."

  "Aren't you hearing what you're saying? We can still change the end of the story!" Edmund argued. For a moment there, he felt strange hearing those words come out of his mouth. Never had he heard himself sound so... hopeful.

  A heavy pause sat between them. "I can't keep arguing with you, Edmund," she weakly said.

  "I know, I know," Edmund mumbled. "I'm sorry. You have enough to deal with. We both do. It's just..."

  "Unfair?"

  "Unfair," he agreed. Edmund reached out and tucked a piece of her curly hair behind her ear, noting the exhaustion on her face. "Lion's Mane, you're working yourself to death."

  Hope shrugged, hesitantly placing her hand over his as it hovered by her cheek. "Well, I've always wanted to meet Aslan," she joked. "I always thought I'd meet him in another life anyway."

  Edmund chuckled. "You joke about death way more than a normal person should," he pointed out. "Will you do me a favor?"

  "You're not going to make me mediate an argument between you and a tree, are you?"

  "What?"

  "Nothing, nothing," Hope quickly dismissed. "What is it?"

  "Meet me back here tonight?"

  Hope took a step back, removing her hand as she hesitated, "Edmund..."

  "Just one last time before the wedding," he persisted. "I'll pretend it never happened after that." He bit his tongue from adding, Whatever makes you happy.

  Hope didn't have it in her to argue anymore, so she nodded slowly and said, "Alright... Fine. I'm sorry, Edmund. I didn't think things would end up this way."

  "Me, too," returned Edmund. "But... I don't regret it. Bad things are supposed to happen, remember?"

  Hope eyed him. "Are you trying to tell me I'm the bad thing?" she teased. "Because, last I checked, I'm the victim here."

  Edmund scoffed. "Oh, yeah, right! I used to be the Just, you know, because I think with my head, not my heart. But you turned me into mush! I hate it!" he whined.

  Hope started to laugh, only for her smile to fall in seconds as her gaze shifted to something behind Edmund. Based on her startled reaction, he didn't need to turn around to know who the person was. It was King David.

  "Hope," King David greeted, his tone heavy and cold like rain on an iron rooftop, "there you are."

  "Y-Your Majesty!" Hope stammered. "I'm so sorry, I—"

  "Got carried away, yes. I can see that for myself," King David sharply interrupted. His gaze flickered between her and his future son-in-law, scornful.

  "Sir, I can explain Hope's delay," Edmund defended. "I stopped her because I had a few questions about Odette. I haven't had a chance to see her today, and I know how stressed she gets."

  Hope was always impressed with how quickly Edmund could devise a lie, especially when he was in a pinch. She nodded, adding, "Yes, I—"

  Again, King David interrupted her, his irritated stare burning holes into Hope's head. "Save the excuses," he snapped. "I understand..." Again, his gaze shifted to Edmund, then back to Hope. "I understand perfectly." He cleared his throat. "Well, I still somehow require your assistance. If you hadn't kept me waiting—"

  Hope tried to apologize again, but King David didn't care. "What did I just say?" he demanded.

  Hope cowered as she squeaked, "Save the excuses."

  "Oh, so she does listen to instructions," King David mocked. "I reckon following them is too much for you without strict supervision nowadays."

  All Hope could do was listen to her heart pounding against her chest and dig her nails into the back of her hand.

  "Sir," Edmund tried again, "that really isn't necessary—"

  It should be known that Edmund despised being treated like a child, and he especially despised King David. He knew he didn't like him after the first time he saw him make a servant cry.

  "I think I'm capable of discerning what is or isn't necessary. Thank you, Edmund," King David stated. "Come along, Hope. There's still much to be done. I hope you haven't forgotten."

  Hope hardly spared Edmund a final glance as she followed King David. But she knew Edmund watched her until he couldn't see her anymore because when she did look back, she knew it'd take a long time to forget the look of regret on his face.

○ ○ ○

  Although they'd known each other for 16 years, Hope didn't often speak to King David and Queen Lydia until three months ago. King David was the most intimidating man Hope had ever met. He was cold and cruel; debilitating and petrifying. Even the merest glance could turn you into stone, for he never spared anyone, not even those who might deserve it. Hope often wondered how Queen Lydia could love a man like him, only to discover that she was just like him.

  Spending more time with them due to the wedding felt like Hope was constantly walking into a dragon's den, just barely escaping with her life every time she was in their presence. It was a miracle that their daughter ended up somewhat normal.

  King David calmly paced around the throne room, leaving Hope to tensely watch. Around them were several other guards, though Hope had no idea why they were supervising them.

  "Tell me, Hope, you've had a remarkable record as my daughter's primary lady-in-waiting, yes?" King David said. "Wouldn't you agree?"

  Hope stood with her hands clasped behind her back, hesitant. "What would you define as remarkable, Your Majesty?" she countered. "I've simply done what I've been asked to."

  "Touché," he replied. "You've made my daughter very happy these past few years. That is something I cannot deny. You've put up with her more than I would've anticipated, especially from someone of your... class."

  Hope ignored how her heart sank. "You make it sound like it's a chore, sir," she noted. "The princess has grown to become my greatest friend."

  He chuckled. Odette was a princess. Hope was a servant. How in the world could they possibly be friends? It amused King David. "Sure," he dismissed. "You're very loyal to my daughter. You've been at this for a long, long time, sacrificing your life for the sake of Odette's wellbeing. I've never once heard you complain about your job."

  Perhaps because you refuse to talk to me unless you have to, Hope thought to herself.

  "And yet, I would have never expected you, of all of our servants, to commit treason against us," King David declared.

  The silence that flooded the throne room was so heavy that Hope nearly lost her balance from where she stood. "I-I beg your pardon?" she queried. "Did you say treason—?"

  "SILENCE!" he interrupted, his voice booming loudly enough to make the room's decorations quiver. "Honestly, Hope, do you take me for a fool? How long did you think you could keep this... this pitiful secret to yourself?"

  Hope held her breath. Relax, Hope. But no matter how much she told herself this, she could not keep her hands from trembling. This was it. He knew. He had to know everything. But how?

  "I should have known better than to allow Odette to choose her lady-in-waiting all those years ago. That girl... she's not the brightest," King David confessed. "She saw something in you that day, but I am not sure what it is. Maybe she pitied you. Maybe she saw the best in you. These kinds of poor decisions are perhaps inevitable, but silly, seldom mistakes are not for someone of my esteemed reputation. Maybe a mere commoner like yourself is more likely to make mistakes, but not the imperial House of Dunbar."

  "Odette is more than what meets the eye," Hope disagreed with a shaking voice. "She's intelligent. She works hard. She can make decisions for herself—"

  King David shot her a neurotic glare. "How dare you speak of my daughter as though she is your equal!" he spat. "Never in my years have I met a servant with such a keen determination to humiliate the royal family!"

  Hope tried to control her breathing, but with King David, the monster of her many nightmares, screaming at her, it was arduous. "Sir, I don't know what you're talking about—" she tried to say.

  "Do you know someone by the name of Queen Titania?"

  Her heart fell into her stomach, a knot forming in her throat. Her mouth was dry as she croaked, "Y-Yes. I accompanied Ed—King Edmund in visiting her colony to retrieve the princess's birthday gift last week."

  "Yes, the pixie dust. My Odette was so excited when you presented that garbage to her, but my wife and I were disturbed. Dust... as a birthday gift? To the princess?" he sneered, rolling his eyes. He approached her, stalking toward her slowly. "Why did you accompany Edmund on his journey?"

  "He-he knew how close I am to the princess," she stammered, taking a step back as he drew nearer. One of the nearby Wysterian guards grabbed her by the shoulders, holding her still. "What-What are you accusing me of, Your Majesty?"

  "TREASON, you stupid girl!" he howled. "When were you planning on reporting how you and Edmund retrieved the dust? When were you planning on revealing Queen Titania had you two recite a Soul-Binding spell?"

  Hope hesitated. "Well, sir, technically, I don't see why anyone would want to report that... little fact to anyone."

  King David was horrified at the fact that she was openly sassing him. It wasn't until the words came out when she realized what a horrible influence Edmund had been on her these past few months.

  SMACK!

  Hope gasped, her now red cheek stinging. Tears welled in her eyes as she shut them tightly. Her knees buckled at the impact, but the guard behind her held her up.

  "Moments ago, Queen Titania's fairies delivered a letter to us. She's FURIOUS that action has not been taken after you and Edmund disrespected her last week," King David condemned. "Not only have you committed treason against my daughter, against MY family, but you have disrespected the fairies by illegally taking their pixie dust! How FOOLISH does one have to be to STEAL trade from a queen? Have you any clue how STUPID you've been?"

  Hope winced, mumbling, "No, it's never crossed my mind."

  "We've given you EVERYTHING! To disrespect my family, Wysteria, Narnia, and the Pevensies... It's deplorable! You claim you're so close to my daughter, yet you clearly don't care about her if you think these actions are anywhere near acceptable! Odette will NEVER forgive you for this!"

  "It was an accident! I-I didn't expect any of this to happen! Isn't there something I can do to fix this?" she blurted. "I-I'll leave! I'll leave Wysteria and Narnia permanently. I'll never contact any of you again. It'll be like I never existed—"

  "YOU HAVE DONE ENOUGH!" he snarled. "I don't know what kind of magic you cast on Edmund, but it must be dark magic. Did you honestly think he could love you? And Odette... Odette will be heartbroken over what you've done."

  Hope tried to refrain from sobbing at his words alone. His words cut deep enough to leave scars.

  "It's been decided," announced King David. "You will be executed for your crimes against the royal families of Wysteria and Narnia. Ideally, it will be a private execution. This doesn't need to get out to the public, never mind the Pevensies. You're lucky I intercepted the letter before anyone could discover what you have done. No one shall know of this blasphemous crime."

  Fear soared through every vein, every fiber in Hope's body. Oxygen was no longer accessible as the weight of the skies began to crush her. This was it.

  Surely, she must've jinxed herself somewhere between accidents, somewhere between the moments where Hope developed feelings for an unattainable boy and the marriage. This was her regret. This was her crime. This was something even she couldn't forgive herself for. The servants would hate her. The Pevensies would despise her. Worst of all, Odette would never forgive her.

  Nothing could fix this. There was nothing she could do to change the past. Maybe things would be better now that she was being sentenced to death. Maybe this was her fate. Maybe it was her fate to fall, just like how it is Odette's fate to rise.

  And yet, despite all of the jokes and the anxieties and the thoughts about dying, Hope was quickly realizing that she did not want to die.

  She couldn't die. She wasn't ready to die.

  Her mind raced to her mother and father, who did not die without ensuring their daughter would survive this cold world. Her mind raced to Odette, who loved her as if she were the one to light the sun on fire at the dawn of time. Her mind raced to the servants of Wysteria, who took her in as their own when she had nothing left. Her mind raced to the Pevensies, who had become her friend these last few weeks. Her mind raced to Edmund, who taught her that courage can be a very powerful tool if you learn not to fear it.

  Life hadn't been easy, and it probably never would be. But nothing ever lasts forever. Everybody wants to rule the world, and all Hope wanted was to rise. She wanted to be brave. She wanted to have courage. If this was her fate, then she didn't care. Odette once said that destiny was implausible. Fate, as Edmund Pevensie once said, was bullshit. Maybe they were right. Maybe she could change the end of her story.

  As the guard gripped Hope's shoulders, squeezing her so tightly that bruises began to form, she thought back to everything she learned from sparring with her father, Edmund, and the guards. Then, she took in a deep breath and let the adrenaline coursing through her take over.

  Hope stomped on the guard behind her's foot, causing him to loosen his grip. She elbowed him sharply before shoving him into another guard, taking him down in the process. King David's roars shook the room as he ordered the guards to restrain her.

  But Hope was just one person. She knew she couldn't take all of them by herself. So, she kicked and shoved whoever came in her way before scurrying out the door.

  It was strange fighting the same people her father considered his family, but Hope couldn't let that distract her. These people didn't care about what happened to her. These people were no longer her family. Perhaps they never were. Maybe her father was brainwashed, just as these guards were.

  Hope stumbled out of the throne room. She couldn't stop now. She needed to run. She needed to get out of there. She needed to... She needed to... Fuck, where was she supposed to go?

  Heavy footsteps stampeded behind her. Shouts like, "STOP HER!" filled the hallways. Hope focused on running. She wasn't sure where she was going, but that didn't matter right now. She just needed to put some distance between them.

  Hope made sure to turn into corridors where she knew the floors had been freshly mopped, causing several guards to slip and fall while she slid somewhat gracefully into the next hallway. Those who didn't tumble hurried after her.

  "Aslan, I know we usually talk after dinner, but I really, really need you right now," Hope frantically begged while sprinting ahead. "Please, please, please, get me out of this. Please, I need your help. I can't die yet, Aslan!"

  She pushed past any servant that crossed her path, not bothering to stop and beg for help. For all she knew, they would turn her in if they had the chance to. They feared King David and Queen Lydia just as much as she did.

  "Come on, Aslan, throw me a bone or something," Hope pleaded. "Where am I supposed to go? I wish I could just run away and forget this ever happened. I think I'd do anything at this point to just forget about all of this. I really don't want to die, Aslan. I don't know where I'm supposed to go. Give me something here! Anything, Aslan!"

  Hope turned the corner, stumbling over her feet. The corridor was empty except for one person, who had been peacefully strolling through Cair Paravel without a care in the world.

  Princess Odette.

  "Right," Hope whispered to herself, breathless. "Okay, fine. That... That works."

  "Hope?" Odette called, baffled. "What in the world are you doing? You're all sweaty!" Hope didn't stop for a second, only running forward, grabbing her hand, and dragging her into the nearest room. "Wha—Hey!"

  Hope slammed the door behind her. "Ode, I need your help," she desperately urged. "It-It's a long story, but I really messed up this time."

  Odette just chuckled. "I'm sure you're just overreacting," she dismissed. She furrowed her eyebrows, watching as Hope tried to push a nearby vanity in front of the door. "Uh... Hope? What are you doing?"

  "Give me a hand!"

  "What? Hope, what's the matter with you—?"

  "ODETTE BRIAR DUNBAR, I NEED YOUR HELP HERE!"

  Odette jumped at the sudden volume, hurrying forward to help Hope move the large vanity in front of the door. "Hope, what the hell's going on?" she nervously asked.

  "I... I did a bad thing," Hope stammered. "I did a bad thing. And I know you're never going to forgive me for this, but I promise, if you help me out, I'll leave you alone forever. We won't have to be friends or anything. I'll leave Wysteria forever, and I'll never bother you again—"

  "Okay, now you're scaring me," Odette interrupted. Worry lines dug into her face. "Just... Sit down for a minute. Let's talk about it."

  "I don't have a minute, Odette!" Hope shouted. "Your father knows what I did, and he wants me to be executed! And I know I make a lot of jokes about dying, so I guess I kind of manifested it, but I can't die! I don't actually want to die! I WAS KIDDING! It was a mistake! It was an ACCIDENT! I didn't know things would get this bad! I don't know what to do, Odette! I'm going to die because of a stupid accident!"

  Odette stared at her, wide-eyed. "What did you do?!"

  Hope took in a sharp breath. "I-I sort of, um, I accidentally... I... Um..." she stuttered. "I didn't, I didn't mean to do it! I didn't know that would... that would happen, and I—"

  "Spit it out, Hope!" Odette demanded. "Do I need to slap it out of you?!"

  "Please don't. Your father already did, and it hurt like a bitch—"

  "Wait, WHAT?" Odette gasped. "He hit you?! How DARE he—!"

  "I sort of, accidentally married your fiancé when we got you the pixie dust for your birthday last week!" Hope suddenly spluttered. "Titania, the Queen of the fairies, she had us recite this weird spell, but neither of us knew what it did! We just wanted to get you the stupid dust for your birthday! And we accidentally disrespected her and we stole the dust and apparently, that's illegal! And then Titania got really mad and she tried to kill us. But we escaped, so we thought it'd be fine. But, THEN, she wrote a letter detailing our... crime. But King David intercepted it, so he and Edmund and his talking horse are the only ones that know what we did. And you, too, I guess. And now your parents want me dead because I committed treason against the royal families!"

  Odette's eyes were so wide that they nearly popped out of her head. "Hold on, you WHAT?"

  "IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!"

  "And you didn't want to tell me?!"

  "WELL, CAN YOU SEE WHY I WOULDN'T WANT TO?"

  "I'm not letting them execute you! That's absurd, Hope!" the princess protested.

  "There's no other way," Hope contested. "Your parents are still King and Queen of Wysteria! They're still in charge! And I offered to leave Wysteria forever, but—"

  "You offered to LEAVE?!"

  "Odette, focus! They want me DEAD! They're saying I committed a crime against your family and the Pevensies! Even if we get past your parents, who knows what Peter will say? Or Susan or Lucy! Or the public! What if Edmund lies and says I used magic on him to trick him?! I'm just a handmaid, Ode. Why would he go down for me? Someone's going to want me dead, no matter what. It's not even my fault!"

  What Odette said next surprised the handmaid. "We have to get you out of here, then!"

  Hope almost couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You-You're willing to help me?" she asked.

  "Of course! This is absolutely insane and I don't really understand what you just said to me, but you're my best friend, Hope. I don't know what makes you think I would want you dead!" Odette exclaimed. "But... But where will you go?"

  Hope paused, glancing around the room. "Er... Out the window?"

  "You can't jump out the window!" Odette scolded. "You'll get hurt! Besides, if... if what you're saying is true, my father's guards will be searching the grounds and the woods for you. Just... Just let me think!"

  Suddenly, the doorknob rattled viciously. Then, a series of aggressive knocks pounded on the door as a guard barked, "OPEN UP!"

  "Fuck, fuck, fuck," Odette rambled as Hope stared at the door in fear. The vanity could only hold them off for so long. Sooner or later, they would break the door down, and Hope would be dead by sunset. "Uhhh..."

  The princess's gaze fell to something sitting in the corner of the room.

  "Get in the wardrobe!" Odette ordered.

  "What?!"

  Odette nodded eagerly. "Get in the wardrobe!" she repeated, lowering her voice. "If you hide in the wardrobe, I can sneak you out later! I'll-I'll cover for you!"

  "You... You'd do that for me?"

  "Save the sentiment for later, Hope!" Odette ordered, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the wooden wardrobe. The guards outside continued to bang on the door. "We don't have much time. Get in!"

  "Okay, okay! I'm going!" Hope muttered. She stared up at the tall wardrobe, pulling the large doors open. "Uh, give me a hand?"

  Hope ungracefully climbed into the wardrobe with the help of Odette, who practically shoved her inside. With a squeak, Hope fell deeper into the wardrobe, accidentally jerking Odette forward. With a gasp, the princess tumbled in after her. The doors to the wardrobe closed behind them just as the door to the spare bedroom swung open. The vanity jolted aside, falling over with a bang. Shattered pieces of the mirror spilled across the floor.

  Guards shuffled into the room. It was dead silent. Only their heavy breaths and footsteps could be heard. They searched every conceivable nook and cranny in the room, investigating any hiding spots for the handmaid.

  They looked out the window to see if she was hiding on the rooftop. They looked under the bed. They looked behind the larger pieces of furniture and inside the trunk at the front of the bed. Hope was nowhere to be found.

  Then, the guards glanced back at the wooden wardrobe in the corner of the room. It was seemingly untouched, and it was also the last place they hadn't yet checked. If Hope was still in the room, she would have to be hiding in there. Warily, the guards inched toward it, and with a wavering hand, the door was pulled open.

  But nothing was there. No clothes, no hanger, no Hope. No one was there.

  The wardrobe in the spare bedroom was empty.

END OF ACT ONE;