And so， presently， a great serpent came out of the thick wood and stung the Queen in her hand. All heard her cry out and rushed towards her， and Rilian was first at her side. He saw the worm gliding away from her and made after it with his sword drawn. It was great， shining， and as green as poison， so that he could see it well： but it glided away into thick bushes and he could not come at it. So he returned to his mother， and found them all busy about her. But they were busy in vain， for at the first glance of her face Rilian knew that no physic in the world would do her good. As long as the life was in her she seemed to be trying hard to tell him something. But she could not speak clearly and， whatever her message was， she died without delivering it. It was then hardly ten minutes since they had heard her cry.
They carried the dead Queen back to Cair Paravel， and she was bitterly mourned by Rilian and by the King， and by all Narnia. She had been a great lady， wise and gracious and happy， King Caspian’s bride whom he had brought home from the eastern end of the world. And men said that the blood of the stars flowed in her veins.
