Hi there! I'm back...sort of. It feels really weird not having something to post on a regular basis, so to fill in the time between now and whenever I get enough of my other stories to post, I've decided to treat my readers with this.

Trilogy OneShots (Could use a better title and I am open for suggestions.)

A collection of oneshots based in the universe of my Naiad Trilogy, which includes I Will Wait. These are just little extras and ideas that never made it into the story for one reason or another. They are written and posted in no particular order. I have a list of about ten that I would like to write. If you have anything you would like to see send me a suggestion. I can't say when or if I'll write it, but I will certainly try. I think this could definitely be fun! With each chapter I will give a brief intro into the scene to give you a time/age reference, where the scene might fit in with the rest of the story, and perhaps the reason why it never made it in to the story.

While this overall story will have a rating of T to be safe, each chapter will be rated separately.

So, to get things started...

This first oneshot is the original opening of The Naiad Within. This is the original scene which jump started the whole shebang. However, I got stuck at the end when I was going to have Miraz make an appearance and assign Cornelius as Caspian's tutor, but then I figured Miraz wouldn't actually go to Cornelius' hut himself and I couldn't work out how to get Cornelius and Ava to the castle. So, I paused this scene to write Ava's dream and things just took off from there.

This opening scene takes place about 16 years before the beginning of The Naiad Within.

Characters in this oneshot are Dr. Cornelius, Ava, Ava's Naiad Mother, and Mistress Concettina(Ava's care taker).

This chapter is rated K.

Hope you enjoy!

Trilogy OneShots

Little Ava

The aged professor walked wearily along the brook's edge with his eyes searching for a soft place to rest. He had been at his quest for hours, and the mid-day sun was hot and draining. At last, he settled down on a patch of soft heather in the shade of an old oak tree. From a pocket set deep within his cloak, he pulled out a small parcel of food and a flagon of wine. He ate his meal in quiet contentment.

The professor, known throughout much of Narnia as the learned Dr. Cornelius, was not your average man. In truth he was only half man; the other half was dwarf like his late mother. Due to this genetic factor he was rather short and round in stature. His hair-line had begun receding years ago but his beard was long and full. It was almost as if, the hair left his head and went into his beard. What was left of his face was rather wrinkled and he always had a pair of spectacles perched on the tip of his nose. In general, his whole appearance, especially today, gave one the impression of a rather jolly old man.

XOXOX

From below the water's surface, she studied the aged man quietly. She knew that he was different from the others who lived on the land above; none of them would have traveled so deeply into the forest. Her people had long since retreated, now residing solely in their waters. But now the time for change was coming. Her husband's words still resounded in her heart: "Our child will help to bring peace in Narnia once again."

She cradled the small child to her breast; she knew what she had to do. She moved further up the brook to hide behind a bush where she quickly fastened a basket from oak leaves and small branches. She hugged her child to her once more, and kissed her forehead gently.

She wiped a tear from her cheek and whispered, "May Aslan watch over you, my daughter." Using what little magic she had left, she laid the child in the basket and raised the basket to the surface.

XOXOX

The professor had just finished his lunch and was sitting with his back against the tree when he heard the baby's first cry. He sat up straighter and looked around him, but he saw nothing. Maybe the sun is playing tricks on a wearied mind, he thought.

The cry came again and louder this time. The professor slowly heaved himself up and looked around the tree. He saw nothing. A third time he heard the cry, and this time he noticed the bush at the brook's edge which stretched into the water. He walked to it.

There, floating in the water and nestled behind the bush, was a basket and in the basket was the crying child. The professor quickly knelt by the water's edge and pulled the basket to shore. He tenderly picked up the crying child and held her in his arms.

"Where is your mother?" he asked while looking around and rocking the child.

"Hello! Is anyone there?" he called out.

Thinking that the basket might have floated down, the professor began walking upstream looking for any sign on the child's parents. After walking quite a distance and finding nothing, the professor stopped and looked at the child in his arms. The hike had soothed her and now she looked up at the professor with eyes as blue as the water from which she came.

The professor began to ponder his options. What was he to do? He obviously couldn't just leave the child there, and yet he couldn't take her along on his latest quest. Having at least realized that, he turned and began back tracking his steps. He'd have to take her back to his village, but then what?

He could hand her off to one of the women and let them care for her. But how would he explain finding her? "She appeared in a basket floating down a brook while I was traveling in the forest." No one travels into the forest willingly, and if he went back with that story they would lock him up. He didn't even want to think about they would do with the child then.

No, there wasn't much else he could do but take the child and raise her himself. After all, he'd always wanted a family of his own, but he had been so engrossed with his studies and his quests that he forgot to find a wife and now it was too late. He chuckled to himself at the thought of having a child now, but what else was he to do?

"Now, what should your name be?" he wondered aloud as he continued to walk. As he spoke, his long beard tickled her and she let off a high pitched laugh.

Only one name came to mind and planted deep roots in his heart. He didn't know why, but it felt natural.

"Ava," he said as he smiled down at the baby; she laughed in response. "Ava it is then."

XOXOX

Seven Years Later

The professor, now even older, opened the door to their tiny hut on the out skirts of the Village of Beruna. "Ava dear," he called out.

"Father!" was the shrill answering call of Ava. Her tiny bare feet carried her gracefully across the room as she rushed to greet the man she called Father. She threw her arms around the professor's round body and buried her face in his chest.

"Father, I'm so glad you're home. I've missed you." Ava pulled her head back to smile up at him as she spoke. The professor chuckled heartily as he patted her on the back.

"I've only been gone a few days, my child."

"I know, but still… I wouldn't miss you so if I could go with you."

"Perhaps next time dear."

When the professor first brought Ava home all those years ago he had to put his quests on hold until she grew up a little. To pass the time, he mainly researched and mapped out his future quests. Now, at last, he was able to fulfill them once again. You see, the professor was determined to find evidence that Old Narnia was not just a fairy tale but a history forgotten, or rather eradicated by the Telmarines. And today he returned in a most exuberant mood for he believed he had at last found the evidence he was looking for. He smiled down at his young adopted daughter and led her to the nearest chair.

"Where is Mistress Concettina?" he asked quietly as he bent down to eye level. Mistress Concettina was an older woman from the village. Her own kids had already grown, but she agreed to help the professor out and watch over Ava while he was gone.

"She's out back, why do you ask?" Ava studied his wrinkled face carefully and gasped with surprise at what she saw hidden there. "You've found something, haven't you?"

The professor merely smiled, but she saw the twinkle in his eyes.

"Oh you have found something! Please, Father, what is it?"

"Shh, quiet down, my child. We must wait till she leaves. Ah, Mistress Concettina there you are." The elderly man placed a hand on his back as he struggled to stand up straight again.

"The soup, Ava," the older woman said.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Ava jumped up from her chair and danced into the kitchen to tend to her stewing soup.

"I presume Ava behaved well," Dr. Cornelius said.

"Indeed she did," Penelope answered rather stiffly. "Though, I feel I must tell you, I do find her to be a rather peculiar child."

"Peculiar in what way, may I ask?"

"She keeps trying to talk to the strangest things and waits for them to talk back."

"Oh, you mean like a chair or—a…"

"No, I mean like the tree in the garden or the nastiest bug she found."

The professor's face paled but he did his best to hide it behind an amusing smile. "Little girls and their fanciful imaginations," he explained.

"Perhaps, but you should get a hold on that. Ground her in reality, Cornelius, before it is too late."

"Yes, yes you are right. I will get right on that." The professor dug his hand in one of his pockets and pulled out a few silver coins. "Here, for your troubles Mistress. A good day to you."

Concettina accepted the coins and gave a curt nod before leaving. The professor followed her to the door and locked it behind her; then, he closed all the windows as well. When the professor made it to the kitchen it was to find little Ava removing a cauldron of soup from the fire pit. The pot was heavier than she thought and some of the soup sloshed over the cauldron lip; the fire hissed as the liquid made contact.

"Ava, dear, you must be careful," the professor said walking over to give her a hand.

"It's alright, Father; I can manage it. I've cooked soup plenty of times."

"Ava," the professor looked down at her over the rim of his spectacles, giving an air of scornfulness.

"Oh, you weren't talking about spilling the soup, were you? I suppose that means Mistress Concettina told you she saw me talking to Chérie again."

"Yes, she… who?"

Ava bit her lip in hesitation. "Chérie, the Cherry Tree in the garden, at least that's what I call her."

"Chérie the Cherry Tree? And you're certain she'd be a girl?"

"Oh yes Father. Why, you can almost see her face in the bark. She'd be quite beautiful with vibrant hair as red as the cherry blossoms on her head."

Cornelius smiled. "Ava, we've talked about this. You must be more careful. Not everyone believes in Old Narnia as we do."

"I know. I'm sorry, Father. I do try to be good, you simply must believe that."

The professor sighed. "I do, Ava."

"I'll try to be even better; I promise."

"I know you will."

"The only reason I even spoke to her this time at all is because I…well, I…"

"Yes, Ava?"

"I thought I heard her laugh."

"Laugh?"

"Yes, and it was the most beautiful laugh I've ever heard. And then, when I looked at her, I was sure I saw her smile, truly smile. But then it faded and she was just a tree again. Oh Father! I just know that if she could only be a girl like me we'd be the best of friends."

"I am certain you would be." The professor smiled down at Ava sadly. He knew she was lonely, and he knew she had a hard time making friends with the other girls in the village. She spent so much of her time wishing and dreaming of Old Narnia, but how could he punish her for doing the same thing he did as a child. He simply could not. He could, however, cheer her up.

"Now, Ava, I have something I'd like to show you."

Ava's eyes lit up as she remembered his promise. He would reveal his discovery after Mistress Concettina was gone, when they were alone. And they were alone now. Ava followed the wizened man to the table where he left his traveling bag. She took up her earlier seat while he rummaged through the sack. At last he gingerly pulled out a folded cloak and laid it on the table before Ava. She looked up at him with confusion written in her eyes; she recognized the cloak as one of his own.

"I believe I have figured out what it is, but I want to know if you can too. I cleaned it as best I could, though it still needs more."

Ava carefully unfolded the cloth and discovered the treasure hidden inside. It was a carved ivory husk with an opening at either end and hallow throughout. One end was narrow but it curved into a wider opening. From the side, the wide end appeared to be the image of a lion roaring. Ava gasped, her mouth falling open and her eyes wide. For several seconds Ava was speechless.

"What do you see, Ava?" Dr. Cornelius asked in a whisper.

"Queen Susan's horn," Ava responded breathlessly.

"My thoughts exactly."

"Oh, Father!" Ava made to pick it up but then decided against that and placed her hands on either side of the horn instead. "Father, you know what this means? If the horn is real, then Queen Susan was real. And if she's real then it is safe to assume that her siblings were too and that all of Old Narnia was real. The beasts could talk, and there were Fauns, Centuars, and Dryads like Chérie!"

"I know, Ava. I know."

As the father and daughter stared at each other in their joy, it would have been difficult to say who was the happier.