บท 44: Chapter 44: The Story Ends
The castle of Cair Paravel stood majestically atop a towering hill, with sand dunes, scattered rocks, and the vast ocean stretching out before it.
The great hall of the castle was splendid, with an ivory roof and walls adorned with peacock feathers.
At this moment, in front of countless witnesses, Aslan was solemnly crowning the four kings and queens:
- High King Peter, Lord of the Lonely Islands, ruler of this Cair Paravel, sovereign of all Narnia and all the islands in the eastern seas.
- Queen Susan the Gentle, ruler of the vast plains north of Archenland and Telmar.
- King Edmund the Just, Duke of Lantern Waste, Count of the Western Marshes, ruler of the western wilds of Narnia.
- Queen Lucy the Valiant, ruler of Calormen.
...
After the coronation ceremony, that evening, a grand banquet was held at Cair Paravel castle. Everyone reveled and danced, celebrating the hard-won victory, with golden cups shining and wine flowing endlessly.
Similarly, the merfolk in the sea, led by the mermaids, responded to the castle's melodious music with even more enchanting, sweet, and captivating songs.
Interestingly, amidst all this joy, no one noticed Aslan quietly slipping away, except for Susan and Lucy, who chose not to announce it.
The young Lucy silently bade farewell to Aslan's gradually disappearing figure.
...
The sun rose from the eastern horizon, heralding not only a new day but also the beginning of a new chapter for this land—the splendid and civilized era of the Four Kings.
Meanwhile, in a valley in northern Narnia, Ino, after a simple rinse with stream water, began to pack his belongings.
The long-missed stirring had returned, undoubtedly signaling that Narnia's story had ended, and he would soon embark on his journey home.
He rolled up the wool blanket spread on the ground, organized the scattered books on the blanket, and carefully placed them into his suitcase.
As for the remaining picked berries, he chose not to waste them. He put a few perfect ones into his pocket and left the rest as a reward for the tree spirit that had kept him company these past few days.
"Hey? Breakfast is ready! Little guy!" Ino called into the valley.
The tree spirit, who usually appeared promptly for meals, was nowhere to be seen, leaving him puzzled. He decided to check the tree where it resided, intending to bid farewell to his last companion.
A few minutes later, Ino stood quietly beside the small tree where the Wood elf used to live.
The elf was gone, replaced by an ice-blue rose.
It looked just like the one he had seen in the White Witch's garden, with the entire flower appearing to be carved from blue crystal, glistening like a genuine luxury item.
The only difference was the bloom's stage: the garden's rose had been in full bloom, whereas this one was near wilting, with several petals drooping, clinging precariously to the flower's core.
"You always knew the endings of the stories I told, but did you ever wonder if your life was someone else's story?" Ino mused aloud to the rose, as if chatting with a friend.
...
After a while, he turned to leave.
When he returned, he carried a small handful of snow from the valley that had not yet melted.
"I am naturally carefree and dislike restraints. Yet, I owe you a debt of gratitude, but what I can give in return is limited—only this."
He carefully spread the snow around the rose's roots, as if it were still growing in the frozen garden.
Perhaps due to the vibrations of spreading the snow, or for some other reason, two petals fell onto his hand.
Cool to the touch, but not cold.
Ino picked up the petals and examined them closely.
Previously in the garden, due to the White Witch's presence, he had only dared to observe the rose from afar. The thought of holding a petal in his hand had been unimaginable.
"Hmm? It's melting?"
Though he had picked up two petals, one began to melt visibly in his palm.
This sudden change caught him off guard.
After a brief shock, Ino quickly discarded the remaining petal.
He was certain the White Witch had no ill intentions towards him, but this unsettling experience was one he did not wish to repeat.
However, the remaining petal had transformed into an ice-blue parchment, resembling a small note, filled with elegant script.
"This is your reward. Leave Narnia, and stop practicing that half-baked magic—it's unfit for a proper mage…"
Though he had only read one line, the familiar tone and confident phrasing made it clear who the message was from.
Still, he was puzzled whether the 'reward' mentioned by the White Witch was for his storytelling or for bringing the snow.
But having received the benefits, he chose not to dwell on the reason.
"Thank you for your gift, Your Majesty!" Ino sincerely thanked her.
Unlike before, his respect for the White Witch was genuine this time. Though he was unsure about the significance of the other petal, the contents recorded on this parchment alone were enough to move anyone.
It contained the White Witch's ice magic, refined and distilled to its essence, tested through countless trials.
The first spell was the ice arrow, similar to the HP's arrow spell, but these ice arrows were faster, stronger, and could be shot in volleys.
After examining the other spells, Ino decided not to focus on them for now.
Just mastering the content on this parchment by graduation would be an achievement in itself.
Meanwhile, the ice-blue rose beneath the tree, having fulfilled some unknown purpose, disappeared like snow under the sun.
"This time, it's truly goodbye, Your Majesty."
With that, Ino picked up his suitcase and walked out of the valley without looking back.
...
A lonely figure walked down the valley path, his shadow elongated by the slanting sunlight.
From a distance, he looked like a lamppost carrying a suitcase.
Ino, like any wandering bard, had arrived alone in a strange land, witnessed the stories that unfolded, and now, with the story's end, he left alone once more.
Everything seemed unchanged, yet everything had changed.
Narnia's harsh winter had passed, and spring had arrived as promised.
Narnia's story had come to an end, but an ending often signifies a new beginning.
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