Author's note: Hey guys, I know I've been MIA for a while, but this summer has been crazy busy with my job and my family and preparing for school and study abroad. Anyways, you're not here for my excuses, I know. I just want to say thank you for sticking it out with me, and I really hope you enjoy the first chapter of this sequel! If you like it, let me know!
As always, nothing Narnia-related belongs to me. It all belongs to C.S. Lewis!
"Chris?"
I looked up from the single gold charm lying in my palm.
"Yeah?"
"You okay? You've been so….depressed the past few months, I'm starting to wonder what happened on your summer vacation."
"It's nothing mom."
"It's obviously something; you're not usually like this"
"I'm fine, really."
My heart stopped as I glanced down at the small golden sword. I could still remember the day he gave it to me. The day the love of my life vowed to be mine always.
The day my Caspian was pulled from my grasp. They day I had to leave Narnia.
I still saw it, every time I closed my eyes.
"What was his name?"
I sighed and closed my hand, cherishing the only thing I had left. I squeezed my eyes tighter and willed the tears to disappear. I knew she meant well, but I didn't know how to bring this up to her. I didn't know how to say his name without it hurting me.
"Mom, can we not talk about this?"
She sighed and stood up, patting my back before leaving the room.
As soon as the door was closed I stood up and walked to the closet, opening it so I could put the charm back into the velvet box I had bought for it.
A screech escaped my lips as a wave of water rushed out of the doors the second I opened them.
The water began to flood my bedroom; the tide swept my feet out from underneath me. I struggled against the current, clawing desperately for some air. A blinding light shone above me.
Sunlight. Air.
I swam with all my might, kicking as much as possible, until I reached the surface. I gasped and gasped, trying to refill my lungs with air. With the limited vision I had, due to all the waves, I saw that I was in the middle of the ocean, with a large, Narnian-looking ship sailing straight towards me.
"Edmund!"
"Eustace, swim!"
There were other people in the water. And they were swimming away. Trying to keep up with the strangers, and keep away from the ship, I kicked and kicked, but it was no use. Sailors launched themselves into the water, swimming towards us.
"It's alright, I've got you," a gruff looking middle aged man said, grabbing me around the waist and swimming towards the ship.
"Where are we?" I yelled, frightened of this stranger.
"Narnia of course!" he yelled back.
My body went slack. No. It couldn't possibly be. I was back. I was back in Narnia!
"Where are the other people? There were others, swimming," I demanded, no longer hearing any shouts.
"They've all been brought aboard, you're the last," he stated as a wooden swing-type thing was lowered into the water just in front of us. "Grab on, and hold on tight," he instructed, standing on the wooden plank.
I mimicked his actions, and soon enough we were being pulled into the air, to the deck of the ship.
More sailors waited, offering me their hands. I climbed onto the flat surface and gratefully took the blanket given to me. I was about to begin voicing the millions of questions running through my head when a high pitched scream met my ears, making me flinch.
"Get that thing off me!"
A young boy, who looked to be 11 or 12 was rolling about on the deck, struggling with a large brown fur ball with a red feather on the top of its head. I'd know that "fur ball" anywhere.
"Reepicheep!"
My head snapped up at the familiar voice, but I couldn't find the face. I stood stock still, waiting to see her.
The young boy crawled on his hands and knees for a few seconds, coughing and spluttering. I had half a mind to help him, to give him CPR or something along those lines when he turned over and yelled: "That Giant Rat thing just tried to claw my face off!"
"I was merely trying to expel the water from your lungs, Sir," Reep called as the blonde struggled to his feet.
"It Talked! Di-did anyone just hear that? He just talked!"
"He always talks!" one sailor told him.
"It's alright," I muttered to the boy, "It takes a long time to get used to. Trust me."
"The moment there is nothing to be said, your highness, I promise you I will not say it," Reepicheep was saying to another sailor, who I couldn't see very well, by the stern of the ship.
"I DON'T KNOW WHAT KIND OF PRANK THIS IS, BUT I WANT TO WAKE UP RIGHT NOW!" the child was yelling. My ears were going to bleed if he didn't shut up.
He continued yelling, but I was focused on the large mouse on the other side of the deck as he muttered: "Perhaps we could throw him back."
I giggled. Oh how I missed Reepicheep dearly.
The boy stormed to the other side of the deck as I walked closer to where I heard Lucy's voice. I needed to see if it was actually her.
"I DEMAND TO KNOW WHERE IN THE BLAZES AM I?!"
"You're on the Dawn Treader, the finest ship in Narnia's navy," a minotaur told him.
I heard a loud thud and turned to see the blonde unconscious on the ground. He obviously hadn't taken the whole "Giant, gorilla-like creature that can talk" thing as well as I had when I had first arrived in Narnia.
"Men, behold our castaways: Edmund the Just and Lucy the Valiant, High King and Queen of Narnia."
I froze in my spot. I knew that voice anywhere. It was like honey to my ears.
He was alive! Caspian was alive and well! CASPIAN WAS HERE!
So were Lucy and Edmund!
Everyone on the ship knelt. I dropped down into a bow as well, now that I had seen my two closest friends standing in front of the steering wheel at the end of the deck. My heart soared as I noticed a man standing off to the side, on the stairs.
I knew it was him. It had to be.
As soon as we stood again I made my move. "Lucy! Edmund!" I called, running to them as quickly as I could. Lucy was the first to see me. "Chris!" she cheered, hugging me fiercely. I squeezed her tightly, tears threatening to pour out of my eyes.
"Christina?"
I pulled away from the small girl to see my best friend in the entire universe standing there, soaking wet, with a dazzling smile on his face. I jumped on him, holding him as tightly as possible.
"EDMUND! I've missed you so much, you have no idea. It's been so terrible without you!" I pulled away ever so slightly to plant a firm kiss on his cheek. He laughed and pulled me closer again. "I've missed you too, Chris, I've missed you too!"
He had changed, since I had last seen him. He had grown several inches taller, and his hair was a bit longer now than it was the last time he was in Narnia. How long had it been since I had seen him?
"You look older," I joked, hugging him again.
"You look beautiful, as always," he stated, kissing both my cheeks.
"Edmu-"
There he stood, mouth agape, looking just gorgeous as he always does, despite how much he had changed since I had last seen him a year ago. His hair was the same color as his perfect brown eyes. He was taller, and more muscular. In addition to his longer hair, he had also grown some facial hair while I was gone, but it only added to his proud, powerful king appearance. It suited him perfectly.
"Caspian."
"Christina."
My name rolling off his tongue in that sweet accent of his brought me out of my reverie.
I launched myself at him, jumping into his arms and burying my face in his chest as the tears began to flow. I gripped onto him for dear life, terrified that if I let go he would disappear and I would wake up from this amazing dream.
With a laugh and a smile he swung me around, squeezing me tightly.
He set me down gently and placed his hands on either side of my waist, leaning down toward me. I stood on my tiptoes and closed the tiny distance between us, pressing my lips to his in a feverish kiss.
Behind us, someone cleared their throat and I groaned.
Reluctantly, I pulled away from him, immediately missing the feeling of his warm lips pressed against mine. Disappointment was etched into his features as he kept an iron grip around my hand. Turning around, I saw both Edmund and Lucy standing there, huge grins on their faces.
As I stood, shivering and soaking wet, I couldn't help but laugh.
How appropriate. I leave Narnia through the water, and it is also how I return.
Caspian squeezed my hand, noticing my shivering. "Perhaps we should change."
He showed us to the royal bedchamber, a huge room off the main deck, with a bed, a table and chairs, and several other pieces of furniture. It was hard to believe this was a bedroom on a ship. Caspian grabbed a few bundles of clothes, handing some of them to Edmund, Lucy, and I, then he and Edmund went below deck to the crew's cabins to change, to give Lucy and I privacy.
"Christina!" Lucy gasped, as soon as they had left.
A light pink blush had formed in my cheeks, and I looked away as I changed out of my jeans.
Lucy had managed to get some smaller clothes, which had probably belonged to a young boy aboard the ship, but, despite their small size, they still looked way too oversized on her small, feminine frame. I could see more and more of Susan in her now than I did two years ago.
Or was it longer than that, since I had last seen them?
"It's not like I could write you a letter, Lu. I don't think the postal service delivers between worlds," I answered sarcastically, my blush darkening under her gaze.
I made due with some of Caspian's clothes. The tunic fit rather well, it must have been too small for Caspian to wear. It was a gorgeous navy blue, embroidered with gold thread. The trousers were a bit too large, but I tucked the bottom into the boots I had borrowed, and I fastened a thick leather belt around the waist of the pants, holding them up.
Lucy looked like she wanted to say something else, but a knock came from the door.
"Your majesty, milady," he bowed respectfully, "King Caspian requests you majesty's presence."
My eyebrows furrowed as I realized that he just asked for Lucy, and not me. I tried to not let it get to me, thinking that perhaps he was too excited to see me, and didn't want to be distracted from business while I was around.
"I will be back soon," she assured me as she left.
Once the door had closed behind her, I sat on the edge of the bed and buried my face in my hands. I was shaking, but I was not sure if it was due to the cold water dripping from my hair, or the pure adrenaline and joy radiating throughout my entire body.
Although I felt like a complete idiot, tears welled in my eyes and fell without my permission. A smile graced my lips and I allowed the joy to overflow within me, and I could not make myself frown, even if I had wanted to.
I'm really here.
"Lady Christina?"
My head snapped up to look at the open door, a sailor standing in the doorway looking at me with curiosity. I nodded and stood.
"King Caspian requests your presence in the Captain's quarters" he told me.
"I'm sorry sir, I am not familiar with this ship. Could you perhaps direct me toward it?"
The man nodded, allowing me to exit the room first, and then gesturing to the left with his hands, leading me to a staircase. The sailor looked pretty well kept for being out at sea. He did not have facial hair and his hair was quite short and tidy. The small wrinkles beginning to form on his face told me he was in his 40's.
He bowed once we reached the door and walked away.
I nodded at his retreating figure and walked in, finding myself in a small office-type space.
Edmund and Lucy were standing at a table, examining what appeared to be maps of the sea, as I entered. My heart sped up when I laid eyes on Caspian. I still was not used to being near him again.
I didn't ask why I had not been included in the previous discussion; I knew one of them would tell me our course eventually. Instead I leaned my hands on the table in front of Lucy and Edmund.
"What can I help with?" I asked them.
"Chris, how long were you in Narnia after we left?" Edmund asked, looking up from the maps.
"One year," I answered.
"And how long were you back in your own world?"
"I was there for a year."
"How long's it been since you've seen her, Caspian?"
"Two years."
"Edmund, I don't understand, what's with this interrogation?"
Both of the siblings shared a look between themselves before Lucy smiled. "It's not an interrogation, we're just curious, is all," she assured us. "So, you two, when did this," she gestured back and forth between Caspian and I, "come about?"
I looked to Caspian, silently pleading him to explain this for me.
"It first started about a month after you left. Both of us were heart-broken. I had lost Susan," my heart clenched at the mention of this old flame, "and she had lost you, Edmund. We comforted one another.
As he began the tale, I gauged their reactions.
Lucy was beaming; she always loved playing matchmaker. Edmund, on the other hand, had narrowed his eyes, and I could tell he was upset. My heart twisted when I saw this. Did he perhaps reciprocate those feelings I had for him all that time ago? Could our game have really led to actual feelings? Or was this an act?
I hoped for the latter, not wishing to alienate my best friend.
"Over the next year, we grew closer. I liked to consider her my closest friend, and most trusted adviser. We discussed everything. Everything but the fact that, over that year, I had fallen madly in love with her."
"And I with him," I added, my eyes glued to Caspian as he continued the story.
"When did you tell one another?"
"I am ashamed to say it took me a full year to finally confess my love," Caspian admitted sheepishly.
"During the ball, one of the nobles tried to take Christina as his own. He almost forced himself on her. I was murderous. If she hadn't stopped me, I would've beheaded that man, and the rest of the Calormens too."
He paused, closing his eyes and clenching his fists as he thought about that night.
I knew it disturbed him. It made him sick and angry. He couldn't speak at the moment. He was too focused on trying to calm down. So, I grabbed one of his hands, rubbing my thumb along the back of it gently.
"I asked him to stay with me that night."
The looks on Lucy and Edmund's faces were priceless.
Lucy was nothing but surprised. Her mouth formed a wide 'O' shape as she processed what she thought I meant. Edmund stepped around the table, fists clenched, ready to strike Caspian. I couldn't help but giggle.
"Calm down, I don't mean like that! Caspian would never do such a thing," I bellowed.
"He just stayed in my bed. He held me while I cried. He chased all the nightmares away. He saved me," I whispered, glancing up at the man beside me.
"We shared our first kiss the next morning. And from that moment on, about a year after you left, I was hers," he finished for me, smiling down as he pulled me close to his side.
Lucy put a brilliant smile on her face and hugged us both.
Edmund, however, was still looking at Caspian with narrowed eyes.
"Do you ladies think you could give us just a moment? There's something I need to say to Caspian," Edmund asked, not taking his eyes off the other man. Apprehensively, I let go of Caspian's hand and left the room with Lucy.
But when the door closed, I leaned my ear up against it, desperate to hear what was said.
"Edmund, I know why you're acting like this," Caspian stated calmly.
"Oh yeah?"
"I understand. She was yours first; believe me; I did nothing but struggle with myself when I first realized. I kept telling myself that it was you she wanted. You she loved." His voice broke on that last sentence.
"Then why didn't you just stay away?" Edmund snapped.
"I couldn't."
"You could've. You chose not to."
"Edmund," Caspian said carefully, hearing the dangerous note in his voice, "I don't want to argue with you. I know you're angry, and you have every right to be. But as long as Christina says she loves me, I'm prepared to fight anyone that tries to stand in the way of that."
"Then a fight it will be." I heard Edmund snarl, followed by the metallic screech of two swords being drawn.
Footsteps came towards the door and I backed away quickly, watching as Edmund and Caspian exited the room, poised for a duel. With each strike and clang I grew more and more nervous, hoping beyond hope that neither of them would be hurt.
"Ed, Cas! Stop!" I wailed, watching them circle one another.
Lucy stood with me among the crowd of sailors, holding onto my hand in order to keep me from inserting myself into their duel. I gnawed at the nails on the other hand, begging Aslan to make this stop.
Why is this happening?
They both love you, you idiot.
But Ed…
At the five minute mark, Caspian struck hard.
They crossed blades, both rotating their arms and throwing the others' sword off of their own.
With one more step each man had his blade at the other's throat.
My breathing slowed as I realized that they were smiling at one another. "You have grown stronger, my friend," Caspian told him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "It seems I have," Edmund agreed. Then they both walked away. Simply, left the other alone. As if they weren't fighting just a second ago.
As they went separate ways, I followed after Edmund.
I reached forward, shoving his shoulder as roughly as I could "What the hell was that?"
He thanked a sailor, who handed him a cup of water, and turned to me with a nonchalant smile on his face.
"Christina, do you love him?"
"Yes."
"Did you ever love me?"
WHAT?!
"Yes, I did once," I answered truthfully.
Edmund's smile fell, slightly, and the sparkle in his eyes faded. He took another drink of water. "Then perhaps you will love me again," he said. My heart skipped a beat at his words, but my stomach also turned and I felt sick and slightly nauseous.
"Edmund. Make no mistake, ok? I loved you once. I still love you. But you are my best friend, and Caspian is my love. That is not going to change." I cringed when I heard my own harshness.
He turned to me then, all the joking and amusement gone from his face.
"You are my best friend too Chris, and if that is all you are seeking, that is what you shall have," he answered, taking both of my hands in his and kissing each of them.
I smiled, and let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.
Wrapping him in a warm hug, I whispered in his ear, "You'll always be my best friend, Ed."
