Chapter 1
Edmund looked down from his perch on a white marble column, smiling as his father, Miraz, glared at Edmund's brother Peter.
"Don't be so stupid, boy! Aslan has the Pevensie sisters! If we rush in and give battle, they will fight with Aslan and they may be killed! No, we want their powers for own." Miraz growled, striking Peter three times across his head. Edmund's smile became broader each time Miraz's hand struck Peter's face.
"Don't be so harsh, Miraz. He may be stupid, but he is your son." Edmund's smile dropped as his mother, Jadis, entered the room and cradled Peter's head in her arms. Miraz smiled, then turned back to his general. "We will send a mission, under a white flag, to Aslan to challenge him to a fight. Edmund will read that missive." high above Miraz's head Edmund smiled at his acceptance. "However, Peter will do the important part. He will try and capture the Pevensie girls."
"Sir, should not Edmund try and take the girls? After all, he is smaller?" said the general. Miraz laughed.
"No, Edmund is too stupid. He would ruin it." Miraz said and he smiled fondly back at Peter, his previous anger forgotten. Edmund slipped back from his uncomfortable seat and ran back to his room, hoping he would not have been discovered out of his room. He hauled his huge, wooden door built for sieges and slammed it shut, and turned to face the disproving glance of his school teacher.
"Really Edmund, I would have thought you could close doors a little more quietly." Doctor Cornelius sniffed and Edmund smiled. The Doctor turned and put away his glasses and book.
"And what you learnt?" the doctor inquired.
"Apart from that my father thinks I am useless, nothing. Neither my father nor my mother will mention what powers the Pevensie girls posses." Edmund said, sitting down at a window seat and looking at his father's spies clattering down the drawbridge. The doctor stood up and touched Edmund on the shoulder.
"Do not fear, my prince. We will find out the girl's powers and you will become the rightful King of Narnia." Edmund smiled.
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Lucy smiled as their guide, Trumpkin, hopped down from a rock and beckoned her and her sister, Susan, towards the river.
"Come on girls, Aslan said he wants you to be safe at Aslan's How before nightfall, and the sun is sinking rapidly." Susan laughed
"Don't worry Trumpkin! We shall not be hurt! It is many hours till nightfall and Lucy looks like she is about to drop!" Trumpkin turned and saw the youngest Pevensie lagging behind, her grey eyes nearly becoming obscured by her eyelids. The dwarf sighed then turned back to Lucy.
"Come now miss, how far do you think you could walk?"
"Oh not another step!" Lucy cried "Susan and I have not had sleep for the last two days, though she is much more resilient than me." Trumpkin sighed, then picked up the little girl in his arms.
"Sleep, little Pevensie. I will carry you to Aslan's How." he said and Lucy gladly closed her eyes. As she slept, a soft blue glow surrounded her. Susan smiled.
"She is happy. That is good to see. She has been far too sad lately." The dwarf turned his head and looked at Susan with a puzzled expression. Susan gave a small smile.
"Jadis killed her first friend. Lucy had so loved Mr. Tumnus, that is why she and I decided to stay in Narnia. But the evil queen killed Mr. Tumnus because he had not informed her that we were in Narnia. Lucy knew then she could never fight for her. That is why we sought out Aslan. Mr. Tumnus had told Lucy of a great King of the beasts, back when Narnia was just populated by animals. Mr. Tumnus had told Lucy that Aslan had made Narnia." Susan said and she brushed Lucy's hair out of Lucy's eyes. Trumpkin nodded.
"Why did it take so long to find us?" he asked.
"I wanted safety. I wanted to go to Queen Jadis and King Miraz anyway. I did not believe that anyone could be as evil as kill a fawn just because he had not called her the minute he found Lucy. But Lucy showed me how Jadis had turned Mr. Tumnus into a statue and I just had to follow Lucy. I knew she was right. I am so glad I listened to her." Susan looked sad and she stumbled over a tree root. Trumpkin gasped as she fell over the root and over the edge. He grabbed her hand. Susan gasped, feeling nothing but air under her feet. She shook her head and grabbed the top of the cliff and pulled herself up.
"I am more tired than I thought." she gasped, flustered. Trumpkin smiled, Lucy still nestled in the crook of Trumpkin's arm.
"Thank you." she said. The dwarf just smiled
"Don't mention it" he said, then leaned over the edge. He pointed to a little track that led to a little bridge.
"We will follow that path. Just through these trees is Aslan's How. There Aslan will be waiting for you." he said. Susan nodded and Trumpkin indicated she follow him in single file. The odd trio walked down the dirt track to the threadbare rope bridge.