-This is a story that I've been thinking about for a while now and am
finally getting it written. This is what I have so far. Pretty much all of
the concepts are in my head, so it should't be long before I complete
it. I'll update as often as I can.-
The Blade of Aslan
As an alternate story after "Prince Caspian," Edmund, Lucy, and including Peter and Susan, somehow, manage to get their way back to Narnia and must fight a Telemarine army led by Parlex, the son of King Miraz and cousin to King Caspian. But this new leader carries with him a mystical sword
believed to have been a myth: the legendary blade of Aslan.
-Prologue-
Peter and Susan turned around to leave after Aslan had explained to them that they were too old to come back to Narnia. They had only walked a few steps before Aslan called back, "Peter, may I have another word with you please?"
Peter stopped and turned around to face Aslan again. "Of course Aslan. What is it?"
"How do you feel about never coming back to Narnia?"
"Well, honestly I'm a little disappointed, but I guess it's not my decision."
"You are wrong, Peter. The decision is, and always has been, your own. You and Susan both know in your hearts that you have grown too old. But you do not yet realize it in your minds."
Peter thought about that and nodded. "I see what you mean, Aslan."
"However, decisions can always be remade."
Peter perked up a little and said, "You mean I can still come back if I choose to? Then I choose to come back again."
"It is not that simple. This is a decision that only be made after something else is brought into focus: Edmund."
"What about Edmund? He'll be coming back too, won't he?"
"Yes, he will. But when he next returns, he will be older than you are now. He will be on the verge of becoming a man. And because of that, he will be facing new enduring trials here. Challenges beyond anything any of you have faced. And he will face them, because he wishes to be as great as you. He will succeed, but it will claim his life. He will die."
"No! Aslan please, don't let him come back to Narnia!"
"Peter, have I not explained it to you? The decision is with all of you. He has already made his decision in his heart that he will come back. As powerful as I may be, I cannot take the power of choice away from anyone."
"Is there anything I can do?"
"That is a decision that you will have to make. And I believe that you have already made it."
"What? What did I decide?"
"You will learn that in time. Once the moment of choice comes, your heart will tell your mind what you chose. Remember Peter, Edmund must know of none of this. All you may tell him is that you have grown too old to come to Narnia."
"Yes, Aslan."
"I know it is hard, Peter. But you must have the strength to stand aside and let him make his choices as they come. Just as you have done. Now go. You must say good-bye before you go back to your world."
Peter turned back around and walked back to where his sisters and brother were standing, saying farewell to Caspian.
Chapter One
Three years later.
Edmund and Lucy had just gotten home from boarding school for the summer a few hours ago and were greeted by Peter and Susan who came home to surprise them with a visit. After the initial handshakes, hugs, and basic chitchats, Edmund went upstairs to his bedroom to lay down on his bed. He was still in his school uniform, except for the tie, which he had tossed onto his dresser drawer and the top couple of buttons of his shirt were also undone.
He simply laid there, staring up at the wall thinking when Peter came into his room, still wearing his suit. Peter had finished boarding school two years ago and had gotten a job working in a bank in London. Peter seemed to be proud of his job, but Edmund cringed at the thought of spending his whole life working in a bank. Now that he was going to be starting his last year of boarding school in the fall, he knew that his father and teachers would be speaking with him about careers.
Peter took a couple of steps inside Edmund's room and said, "Susan and Lucy were talking about going out for a walk in the park. Do you want to go?"
Edmund sat up and thought for a moment before shrugging and saying, "Sure, why not?"
Peter looked at him and said, "Is something wrong, Ed?"
"It's just...it's been three years now."
Peter understood right away what he was talking about, because he had been dreading this conversation for three years now. "You mean since we last went to Narnia."
"Yeah. I'm starting to think that maybe I won't be going back after all."
"Don't talk that way, Ed. You know you're going to go back someday."
"Peter, I'm older than you were when we last went and Aslan told you that you were too old. It feels like I've missed the boat. I guess I should just go ahead and accept the fact that I'll never be going back again."
For a moment, Peter was relieved to hear that. But soon, Peter felt guilty for thinking that way. It was being selfish and he knew that perfectly well. "Come on, Ed. What will happen, will happen. I think a walk outside will do you some good." Edmund nodded and Peter continued. "Good. I'll see you downstairs, Ed."
After Peter was gone, Edmund said, "It's Edmund. Ed makes me sound like a little boy. I'm not a boy anymore."
---------------------------------
The park was unusually empty for a Sunday afternoon. Peter, Susan, and Lucy were all walking ahead, talking and laughing. Edmund, deep in thought, was walking several feet behind them with his hands in his pockets and looking down at the ground.
He stopped when he noticed a large old oak tree. It was unusual to see an oak tree in this part of the park, because all of the others were pine trees. The others kept walking, not noticing that Edmund was not behind them anymore. He was just staring at the tree and couldn't take his eyes off of it.
Peter finally noticed and called out to him, "Ed! What is it? Come on, don't fall behind!"
But Edmund didn't even hear him. He was mesmerized by the tree. He stared at the strange patterns on the bark. It became all that he could see, all he could focus on. Almost as if everything had slipped away from the world but he and the oak tree...
Suddenly, Edmund snapped into alertness as an arrow whizzed just inches from his face and into the oak tree he was facing. Edmund turned around and the park was gone. What he saw before him was a battle. By the patterns of the armor of one side, Edmund could tell that they were a Narnian army. Who the other side was, he couldn't be sure.
But he had no time to figure it out, because a soldier of that army saw Edmund and charged at him, screaming with his sword held up over his head with both hands. Instinctively, Edmund crouched down in a fighting stance. Just as the soldier reached him, Edmund fell onto his right side, lifting his left up to catch the soldier's legs. He locked his feet together and twisted his body, making the soldier fall straight down onto his face. The sword went scattering away.
Edmund bolted up to his feet and picked up the sword. Just as the soldier got to his knees Edmund had the sword edge at his neck. "All right, who are you? What is this battle about?"
The warrior said nothing. Edmund was thinking about shoving the blade into his neck a little more to make him talk, before he noticed the silhouette of someone else running at him.
As the silhouette got closer, he heard the shouting of, "Ed! Ed! Wait, over here!"
Edmund realized the person running to him was Peter. When he reached Edmund, he asked, "Peter? What are you doing here? Aslan said that you wouldn't ever be coming back because you were too old. Is Susan here?"
Still breathing heavy, Peter said, "Yes, she is. And so is Lucy. I've got them in hiding while I came out to look for you."
During this time, the soldier had gotten to his feet and ran away. Edmund was about to run after him, but Peter stopped him. "No, Ed! Let him go. Until we know what this battle is about, we shouldn't be fighting."
Edmund nodded and Peter ran off back to Susan and Lucy with Edmund following close behind. While he ran, Edmund looked down at the new sword in his hand and smiled a little.
it. I'll update as often as I can.-
The Blade of Aslan
As an alternate story after "Prince Caspian," Edmund, Lucy, and including Peter and Susan, somehow, manage to get their way back to Narnia and must fight a Telemarine army led by Parlex, the son of King Miraz and cousin to King Caspian. But this new leader carries with him a mystical sword
believed to have been a myth: the legendary blade of Aslan.
-Prologue-
Peter and Susan turned around to leave after Aslan had explained to them that they were too old to come back to Narnia. They had only walked a few steps before Aslan called back, "Peter, may I have another word with you please?"
Peter stopped and turned around to face Aslan again. "Of course Aslan. What is it?"
"How do you feel about never coming back to Narnia?"
"Well, honestly I'm a little disappointed, but I guess it's not my decision."
"You are wrong, Peter. The decision is, and always has been, your own. You and Susan both know in your hearts that you have grown too old. But you do not yet realize it in your minds."
Peter thought about that and nodded. "I see what you mean, Aslan."
"However, decisions can always be remade."
Peter perked up a little and said, "You mean I can still come back if I choose to? Then I choose to come back again."
"It is not that simple. This is a decision that only be made after something else is brought into focus: Edmund."
"What about Edmund? He'll be coming back too, won't he?"
"Yes, he will. But when he next returns, he will be older than you are now. He will be on the verge of becoming a man. And because of that, he will be facing new enduring trials here. Challenges beyond anything any of you have faced. And he will face them, because he wishes to be as great as you. He will succeed, but it will claim his life. He will die."
"No! Aslan please, don't let him come back to Narnia!"
"Peter, have I not explained it to you? The decision is with all of you. He has already made his decision in his heart that he will come back. As powerful as I may be, I cannot take the power of choice away from anyone."
"Is there anything I can do?"
"That is a decision that you will have to make. And I believe that you have already made it."
"What? What did I decide?"
"You will learn that in time. Once the moment of choice comes, your heart will tell your mind what you chose. Remember Peter, Edmund must know of none of this. All you may tell him is that you have grown too old to come to Narnia."
"Yes, Aslan."
"I know it is hard, Peter. But you must have the strength to stand aside and let him make his choices as they come. Just as you have done. Now go. You must say good-bye before you go back to your world."
Peter turned back around and walked back to where his sisters and brother were standing, saying farewell to Caspian.
Chapter One
Three years later.
Edmund and Lucy had just gotten home from boarding school for the summer a few hours ago and were greeted by Peter and Susan who came home to surprise them with a visit. After the initial handshakes, hugs, and basic chitchats, Edmund went upstairs to his bedroom to lay down on his bed. He was still in his school uniform, except for the tie, which he had tossed onto his dresser drawer and the top couple of buttons of his shirt were also undone.
He simply laid there, staring up at the wall thinking when Peter came into his room, still wearing his suit. Peter had finished boarding school two years ago and had gotten a job working in a bank in London. Peter seemed to be proud of his job, but Edmund cringed at the thought of spending his whole life working in a bank. Now that he was going to be starting his last year of boarding school in the fall, he knew that his father and teachers would be speaking with him about careers.
Peter took a couple of steps inside Edmund's room and said, "Susan and Lucy were talking about going out for a walk in the park. Do you want to go?"
Edmund sat up and thought for a moment before shrugging and saying, "Sure, why not?"
Peter looked at him and said, "Is something wrong, Ed?"
"It's just...it's been three years now."
Peter understood right away what he was talking about, because he had been dreading this conversation for three years now. "You mean since we last went to Narnia."
"Yeah. I'm starting to think that maybe I won't be going back after all."
"Don't talk that way, Ed. You know you're going to go back someday."
"Peter, I'm older than you were when we last went and Aslan told you that you were too old. It feels like I've missed the boat. I guess I should just go ahead and accept the fact that I'll never be going back again."
For a moment, Peter was relieved to hear that. But soon, Peter felt guilty for thinking that way. It was being selfish and he knew that perfectly well. "Come on, Ed. What will happen, will happen. I think a walk outside will do you some good." Edmund nodded and Peter continued. "Good. I'll see you downstairs, Ed."
After Peter was gone, Edmund said, "It's Edmund. Ed makes me sound like a little boy. I'm not a boy anymore."
---------------------------------
The park was unusually empty for a Sunday afternoon. Peter, Susan, and Lucy were all walking ahead, talking and laughing. Edmund, deep in thought, was walking several feet behind them with his hands in his pockets and looking down at the ground.
He stopped when he noticed a large old oak tree. It was unusual to see an oak tree in this part of the park, because all of the others were pine trees. The others kept walking, not noticing that Edmund was not behind them anymore. He was just staring at the tree and couldn't take his eyes off of it.
Peter finally noticed and called out to him, "Ed! What is it? Come on, don't fall behind!"
But Edmund didn't even hear him. He was mesmerized by the tree. He stared at the strange patterns on the bark. It became all that he could see, all he could focus on. Almost as if everything had slipped away from the world but he and the oak tree...
Suddenly, Edmund snapped into alertness as an arrow whizzed just inches from his face and into the oak tree he was facing. Edmund turned around and the park was gone. What he saw before him was a battle. By the patterns of the armor of one side, Edmund could tell that they were a Narnian army. Who the other side was, he couldn't be sure.
But he had no time to figure it out, because a soldier of that army saw Edmund and charged at him, screaming with his sword held up over his head with both hands. Instinctively, Edmund crouched down in a fighting stance. Just as the soldier reached him, Edmund fell onto his right side, lifting his left up to catch the soldier's legs. He locked his feet together and twisted his body, making the soldier fall straight down onto his face. The sword went scattering away.
Edmund bolted up to his feet and picked up the sword. Just as the soldier got to his knees Edmund had the sword edge at his neck. "All right, who are you? What is this battle about?"
The warrior said nothing. Edmund was thinking about shoving the blade into his neck a little more to make him talk, before he noticed the silhouette of someone else running at him.
As the silhouette got closer, he heard the shouting of, "Ed! Ed! Wait, over here!"
Edmund realized the person running to him was Peter. When he reached Edmund, he asked, "Peter? What are you doing here? Aslan said that you wouldn't ever be coming back because you were too old. Is Susan here?"
Still breathing heavy, Peter said, "Yes, she is. And so is Lucy. I've got them in hiding while I came out to look for you."
During this time, the soldier had gotten to his feet and ran away. Edmund was about to run after him, but Peter stopped him. "No, Ed! Let him go. Until we know what this battle is about, we shouldn't be fighting."
Edmund nodded and Peter ran off back to Susan and Lucy with Edmund following close behind. While he ran, Edmund looked down at the new sword in his hand and smiled a little.