Meri insisted on giving the cousins a tour of the fortress. "Father, missions can wait! They have to see where they're going to live for a while!"

"Alright! Fine, but after that I give them to Opek. Got it?"

"Got it!" Meri smiled, and opened the bookcase door. "Oh, can I use your tunnel to get to the rooom of the Kings and Queens of old?"

"Why do you want to go there?"

"Do you have to ask, Father?" Meri smiled, and exited her fathers study. The cousins followed her. Caspians bedroom was very small. A large, canopy bed sat in the middle of the wall directly acroo from the secret door. To conceal the secret door was a dark brown dresser that was connected to the wall. There was a wooden door that was obviously the regular entrance and exit. A painting of a woman hung on his wall.

The woman's dark brown hair was pulled back elegantly. A pearl headband lined her forehead just below her hairline. Her eyes sparkled, and she smiled a faint smile. She was in an elegant red dress with several gold embellishments. She was wearing an elegant cross around her neck, and holding a white rose.

"Whose this?" Anna asked, pointing to the painting.

"Oh, that." Meri smiled. "She's my mother."

"She's very beautiful." Sam said.

"She died a little over two years ago." Meri sadly said. "But she was a wonderful mother."

"I'm sure she was." Anna placed her hand on Meri's back.

"Let's move on." Meri walked to the wooden door and exited the room. The hallway outside Caspian's room was nothing like the tunnels the cousins had initially gone through.

"This looks just like the hallways in the castles back in England!" Anna commented.

"That's because my father had this fortress built just like a castle would be. Except, underground. The villagers even have huts in the middle of a giant open area just outside our castle."

"So this fortress is basically just like a little town?" Jeff asked.

"Exactly, and my fathers the king of it."

Caspian came from down the hallway. "Quick change of plans, Meri. Giona's back now, and she wants to see these four immediately."

===========================

Hey guys!

Sorry it's been so long since I've written. I would come up with an exude on why I didn't, but I feel too bad I'm just gonna tell the truth.

I needed a break. I was having trouble coming up with ideas, and the thought of writing a story made me cringe, so I took a break.

Now I'm back and there's no stopping me! Except that I'm going camping from today until Monday. THEN I'll be back full time.

Don't forget to vote, comment, and tell all your friends!

Thanks!
💖Emily