Chapter 1 The Call
"You must do as I instruct" snapped the teacher. He was just about a year older than her, but might be younger than her brother Peter. Susan quickly adjusted her stance. "Here let me help you." The teacher stepped behind her. He tapped her foot with his. Susan moved it until he stopped. He took her wrist and tilted it higher. "That is the proper fencing stance."
Susan Pevensie missed Narnia. She is over in America with her Parents on vacation while her father tours. Peter stayed in England and Edmund and Lucy are with their Uncle and Aunt. Susan felt bad for the two. The Scrubbs are not the most pleasant people to be around. Susan is taking advantage of some free time while in Washington to learn sword skills. This reminds her of Narnia and her wish to see Caspian again.
"Jack" Susan said pulling away from him. He stands too close sometimes, "Please."
"Come on," Jack rolled his brown eyes, "loosen up. I'm not going to hurt you."
"Maybe" Susan lowered her wooden practice blade, "Maybe I might hurt you."
"Susan" Jack shook his head, "you have yet to lay a single blow on me since we started these sparring lessons. You couldn't hurt me even if you wanted to."
"You don't know me" Susan raised her blade to signal she was ready.
"I don't know you, you say" Jack laughed as he raised his own, "one… two… th—"
She lunged at him and he easily knocked her blade out of the way. Susan blocked several of his strong attacks. Jack found his rhythm and was quickly pushing her back. Susan went for an opening as she blocked attack. He took a couple steps back after she punched him in the ribs. She followed though attack and knocked him behind the knees.
"Ah" Jack gasped as he fell to one of his knees. He blocked a powerful overhead blow and tackled her to the ground.
"Oof" She fell with his weight on top of her. "Get off." Susan pushed him off of her and rolled away. "That is no way to treat a lady."
"In a real fight it wouldn't matter" Jack grabbed for his blade.
"But this is just training" Susan said blocking his attack, "I'm not planning to carry a sword around for my whole life looking for someone to fight with. No. This is just something that interests me."
"It's the principle of being able to defend yourself, Susan" He said.
"The principle" Susan laughed. "Ouch."
"Don't let your guard down" Jack said, "and don't let the opponent distract you. It doesn't matter how handsome he is."
"Are you implying that you are handsome?" Susan asked as she tried to not look at his face. The thing is, he is handsome. Light brown hair framed the sharp features of his face. His strong arms were showing through some rips in his cream colored shirt that fit to his skin. The feeling of his body against hers makes her legs struggle to hold up her weight. In his brown eyes she sees Caspian, her first love. Her first kiss. Her first everything. Now Jack is making Caspian seem closer to her even though he is far way in the magical world of Narnia. Jack is making Susan miss Caspian even more.
"Gotcha" Jack smiled as he disarmed her, "Susan, you are letting your guard down. What is wrong? Is what I'm teaching you not enough?"
"I don't know" Susan said softly as she walked to the water pitcher to pour a glass for herself.
"Are you OK?" Jack poured a glass of water and took a sip, "you seem not yourself today."
"Do I?" Susan looked out the window.
"Am I working you too hard?" He asked with a worried tone.
"No" She said.
"Are you tired?"
"It's getting late" She lied, "I better be… what is that?" Susan looked at the water pitcher.
"What?" he said, "whoa." The water in the pitcher was magically increasing, over flowing the rim. The water in the cups was doing the same. "What is happening?"
"I don't know" Susan said taking a step back out of the way of the splashing water.
"I see something" Jack looked down at the rapidly growing puddle on the wooden floor, "I think it's a ship."
Susan looked down. Jack was right, there was a ship. This three mast ship was growing larger in the puddle. "Oh no." She realized what was happening.
"What is happening?" Jack looked at her.
"Take my hand" Susan stepped toward him.
"What?"
"Take it" She held out her hand to him. Jack looked at her weirdly as he took it.
As their fingers touched, a gale blew them from behind. The two fell forward and instead of hitting the wooden floor of the training room, they hit water. Susan looked around and saw and ocean spanning in all directions.
