35

FAITH IS RESTORED

⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆

By the time that the Narnian troops, with the Kings, Queen, Prince and Crimson Knight at the front, had reached the river, they noticed that the Telmarines stood idly in fear of crossing the river. Alex would have laughed about so many soldiers, including cavalry, being scared of Lucy standing on the bridge holding her dagger in her hand. She would have if it wasn't such a dire situation.

Alexandra watched as Lucy's face, even from the great distance between the two, contorted into a wicked little grin. "I taught her well," she laughed.

It was in that moment that Aslan, in all his glory, joined Lucy's side at the other end of the bridge. His golden mane glistening under the rays of the sun. Beside him, Lucy looked like a true lioness with her own hair glistening in the sun and waving in the wind.

One of Miraz's loyal Telmarine generals roared in anger and charged on horseback across the bridge, the Telmarines having no other choice but to join him. Those who couldn't fit on the bridge were running through the water with their swords raised.

Yet, they didn't even make it half way across the bridge before Aslan was roaring with his teeth snarling. It was then that the soldiers stopped charging and the water started to drain from the river; leaving the soldiers in the river confused. 

Suddenly, they started retreating and shouting in fear as all the water from the river collected together in the form of a giant River God. All the waves clashed against his chin in curls of what appeared to be a long beard. He started swimming up the river to the bridge to scare the enemies, most of who had already jumped in the river in fear, which only left the most daring soldiers on the bridge. Those met a different fate. 

The most loyal Telmarines stayed on the bridge, swinging their swords at the River God as he collapsed in on himself. The fate of those soldiers was never talked about in common conversation.

"I told you," Alex looked to her side at Peter who just smiled and placed his arm on her shoulder to bring her in for a tight embrace.

"At least you didn't sacrifice yourself this time," he mumbled into her hair, causing the rest of them to chuckle.

"Come on," she pushed away jokingly, "We have work to do."

It took almost an hour to make all the Telmarines surrender their weapons, collect their masks and bundle them off in different directions where they would most likely never hold a sword again. Those that were still reluctant were tied up to serve prison sentences until they surrendered.

All four of the royals and Alex wadded across the river without caring how silly they looked having to fight the current in their armour. They stopped in front of Lucy and Aslan on the other side of the river. Alexandra was perhaps the first to drop to her knee before the others did the same.

"Rise," he spoke proudly, causing the three siblings and Alex to stand to their feet; the only one who stayed kneeling was Caspian. "All of you."

Caspian finally looked up with a few wounds on his face from the fight, "I do not think I am ready."

"It's for that very reason I know you are," he responded, making Caspian finally stand to his feet.

Alex couldn't help but begin to feel a cloud of fear in her chest. It wasn't fear in the sense that something bad was waiting around the corner. It was fear of everything coming to an end. A true end.

She broke from her troubling thoughts upon hearing some bagpipes approach them. When they turned, they watched as Reepicheep was carried on the shoulders of his comrades; unconscious. If it wasn't for his ragged breathing and shuddering body, they would have presumed him dead. Lucy ran straight to his side and dripped a singular drop of her healing cordial into his mouth. Within seconds he was sitting up.

"Oh, thank you, your majesty. Thank you!" 

Peter and the rest of those standing behind the mouse put a hand to their mouths.

Unbeknownst to Reepicheep, he was missing his tail. He only realised as he tried to bow down to Aslan. "Hail, Aslan! it is a great honour to be in-" he circled around trying to feel for his tail but didn't find it, "I'm completely out of countenance. I must crave your indulgence for appearing in this unseemly fashion. Uh... Perhaps a drop more?"

"I don't think it does that.." Lucy replied solemnly.

"You could have a go," he replied with a frown.

"It becomes you well, small one," Aslan spoke with a light chuckle.

"All the same, Great King, I regret that I must withdraw. For a tail is the honour and glory of a mouse," he went forward to lay his sword at the lion's feet.

Aslan sat down on the pebbles of the river, "Perhaps you think too much of your honour, friend."

"Well, it's not just for the honour. It's also great for balance. And climbing. And grabbing things."

"May it please your high majesty, we will not bear the shame of wearing an honour denied to our chief," one mouse added as he placed his sword on his own tailed to set an example for his comrades.

Once more, Aslan chuckled deeply. It wasn't the type of belittling or mocking laugh, more of a friendly insight, "Not for the sake of your dignity, but for the love of your people." And just like that, with a few words from the high majesty, his tail was restored.

"One could say that you look better than ever," Alex smiled down to Reepicheep as she leaned into Peter's side.

"Look! Thank you, my liege. I will treasure it always. From this day forward it will serve as a great reminder of my huge humility."

"Now, where is this dear little friend you've told me so much about?" Aslan asked Lucy with a smile.

As if on queue, Trumpkin looked over and understood that he was wanted by Aslan. The Dwarf walked over and took a knee in front of the lion with his sword, or what would be a dagger for humans, pointed to the pebbles to show respect. Aslan stood back up onto his four gigantic paws and roared in such a way that was not to threaten Trumpkin but to show his existence for the unbelieving fellow.

"Do you see him now?" Lucy asked with a playful grin. 

"Now, my dear friends, we have work to do," Aslan spoke up a little louder to gain their attention, which he did. "Lucy, you should heal as many wounded souls with your cordial as possible and take your sister with you. Caspian, your people need to know their King, so you should show your leadership to both the Telmarines and the Narnians. Peter and Edmund should do the same. Trumpkin and Reepicheep should find any who tried to flee into the forest. But Alexandra, I would like a moment with you."

Alexandra gulped harshly as the others dispersed to leave her and Aslan alone. She would be lying if she wasn't angry at Aslan for leaving her in the dark all those years ago, but she was also grateful for his appearance now.

"You are probably wondering why I asked you to stay instead of fulfilling your role as the Crimson Knight," he spoke as he started to walk back through the river, only as his paws touched the water it started to part ways until the sand at the bottom appeared dry. As he walked, he beckoned her forward.

"I am curious," she replied as they reached the other side of the river and the water had returned to the calm state it was before as if it hadn't parted at all.

"Well, dear heart," he lead her back through the forest where they could see Telmarines surrendering their weapons, "I feel that I owe you an explanation for my lack of insight about the Regal power flowing through your veins after the Battle in which you sacrificed yourself."

Alex stayed silent as he spoke, instead she listened intently to what he was saying but also payed attention to her surroundings. She noticed how they got closer and closer to the battlefield but didn't stop until they were on the path to Aslan's How.

"I could not give you the help you wanted because, simply, there was no help to be shared. I could not tell you something that I myself do not have the answer to. So I took off to the only source that would know the answer; Zahra and Faye."

"If I am correct, Zahra and Faye are the two other Regals of the Aurora tree," she added.

"You are correct, my child. However, Zahra and Faye only told me that Tatiana, the Regal within you, was not just connected to your body but also entwined with your soul. As a result, there would be no easy way to remove or halt the power flooding your being," they finally reached the How, "But there is one way."

"And that is?"

Aslan blew on the bricks that had fallen from the catapult attack to block the entrance. She watched as the Narnians stuck within the rubble awoke as if they had not been fatally wounded. They all seemed startled to see none other than Aslan and the Crimson Knight right beside them, but carried on walking as if nothing had happened.

"You've made a sacrifice once before, which is what was told in the prophecy. But where do sacrifices in Narnia take place?" he asked her as they walked through the How. The walls which seemed to be dark before, now had a certain light to them.

"The Stone Table."

He nodded his head towards the Stone Table, "This Table has an old scripture that translates to 'If a willing Victim that has committed no treachery is killed in a traitor's stead, the Stone Table will crack; and even death itself would turn backwards.' Now, all you need to do, is release the omnipotent, regal power from within you and into the Stone Table."

"And how do I do that?" she asked and circled the stone table which still had the crack from Aslan's rebirth.

Aslan motioned his head towards the stone surface of the table, "You will know. Just ask Tatiana yourself."

And with that, the lion left the Crimson Knight in the room alone.

At first, she was unsure how. but as time went on, she remembered the time in which she went into the Ice Castle and had talked to the regal in the reflection of the ice. Luckily for Alex there was some ice left on the floor. And there she was.

Tatiana appeared to be a child despite being much older than any being to ever walk in Narnia. The only older energy source was her mother, the Aurora tree, and her two sisters, Zahra and Faye. Even so, her skin was almost transparent besides her blue light radiating from her skin. It was as bright, if not brighter, than the blue scars on Alex's back and neck and the same blue that her eyes would shine under the Witch's influence.

"Hello, Alexandra Dawson," she spoke in a soft tone.

"Tatiana, we meet again."

"I wish it were under better circumstances," the reflection smiled, "All you need to do to release my energy is to push my soul into the Stone Table. You can do this by pressing your palms and breathing out all of the influence, you will feel it happening as you do so."

Alex neared the table.

"But, Alexandra, I must apologise for the effect my power has had on your body. If I had known it would do this to you, I wouldn't have done this."

"If you didn't place your energy in my body I would be dead. None of this today would have happened and the casualties could have been the highest in history. If anything, I should be thanking you," Alex honestly and truly smiled at the spirit in the reflection of the ice as it started to melt, "Thank you and farewell, Tatiana. Live the life you never had the chance to. Be free."

"And you too, Alexandra. Go home and live your life how you dreamed of as a child." She was gone as the last of the ice melted.

Reluctant to even look at the table as she thought of her own mother's death upon it, she finally touched both palms onto the surface. It was rough under her fingertips and cold. With a deep breath, she pushed all her concentration, will, power and energy out of her palms and onto the stone below her hands.

⋆﹥━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━﹤⋆

Nearly the end!