My third Narnian fanfiction! Yes, this one's on the sad side too. I've been in the mood for writing sad stories lately. Don't ask why. I couldn't begin to come up with an answer. Enjoy, and please tell me how you liked it!
What if…The Pevensies hadn't been able to get away from the wolves?
We ran through the snow, and I was stumbling, trying to keep up. Mr. Beaver scampered ahead, Susan right behind him, with Peter and I in the back. The dam was finally in sight, and we tore through the door. "They're after us!" Mr. Beaver yelled. Mrs. Beaver nodded, and started grabbing food. "What are you doing?" Susan asked urgently. "We can't leave with empty pockets." She replied. I could hear them outside. The wolves, digging to get into the dam. Mrs. Beaver grabbed her bag, while Mr. Beaver opened up the underground entrance. Susan pushed me inside, and then slipped in after me. The Beavers got in behind me, with Peter taking up the rear. We ran through the tunnel, till we heard barking behind us. The wolves had gotten into the tunnels. "Go!" Peter hissed, and we began running. "Hurry, hurry!" Mrs. Beaver urged.
We had reached the end of the tunnel, but the wolves were close. Suddenly, I tripped, causing Susan to stumble over me. Peter ran around us, turning to help me up. The Beavers had already scurried outside, and Susan yanked me up by my arm. "Come on Susan!" Peter hissed, pushing me outside. But then his eyes widened. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but he never go the chance. Susan turned around, and there was a wolf, bearing down on her.
She screamed. "Peter!" Peter dropped my arm, trying to get to Susan to help her. I let out a cry, and then the wolves were upon us. Peter was yelling, Susan was screaming, the Beavers were fighting. I was screaming too, cowering in the entrance of the tunnel. The wolf was on top of Susan, its mouth open in a snarl. Peter was trying to fend it off, to get to Susan. I screamed again, causing Susan to look over. She was on the ground, the wolf on top of her.
"Run Lucy! Go!" She cried. A fox leapt into the tunnel, and headed for the wolves. Beaver yelled something at it, so the fox stopped and looked at me. "Come small one. Hurry." I ran after it, but glanced back one last time. Peter was surrounded by wolves, and one bit down, causing him to cry out in pain. "Peter!" I screamed. "Go Lu, please. Run." He said through clenched teeth. I followed the fox outside. "We must get to Aslan. Hurry Lucy, hurry." We started running, staying in the cover of the shadows. I was stumbling and tripping, trying to keep up. The fox kept telling me to hurry.
I was terrified at what would happen to my siblings. I couldn't bear the thought of losing them. We ran for few hours, till finally, the camp was in sight. "Nearly there, nearly there." The fox said. We ran into Aslan's camp, and I collapsed onto the ground, gasping for breath. Strange creatures crowded around me as I lay there, trying to breath normally again. "Get her some water." Someone said. A cup was placed to my lips, and I thirstily drank. "Easy young one, easy." I sat up, and suddenly everyone bowed. A great lion stood before me. Getting to my knees, I bowed to him as well. "Welcome Lucy, daughter of Eve. Welcome fox, you did well getting her here. Lucy, what happened?"
"The wolves were chasing us. We escaped through a tunnel, but they caught up and attacked. The beavers, and Susan and Peter were all fighting. They told me to go, to run. The fox took me here. Please sir, are the wolves going to kill my siblings?" Aslan, the lion, looked down at her with gentle eyes. "I do not know Lucy. But where is your other brother?"
"The White Witch tricked him. He's with her now." Aslan sighed. "This complicates things. I will do my best to help your siblings Lucy, but you must be brave." I nodded. I was given fresh clothes, and allowed to bath in the river. Eventually, day turned to night, and I was given a meal in my tent. I missed my siblings, and desperately wanted Susan to stroke my hair, Peter to lift me in his arms, and Edmund to tease me. Tears began to drip down my cheeks, and I cried myself to sleep.
The next morning, everyone seemed to be training. Aslan talked to me for a while. He said they were watching the witch's tower, and had seen Peter, Susan and the Beavers taken inside. I was scared I would never see them again, and I told him so. He looked at me with grave eyes. "Lucy, we are doing everything we can, I promise you. But you must be strong. There is a battle coming Lucy, a battle to defeat the White Witch. Winning that battle is the only way we will get your siblings back." I nodded, tears in my eyes. "I miss them Aslan."
"I know, dear one." He said softly. Later, he gave me a dagger and a cordial. "The dagger is to protect yourself with, but you won't be fighting in the battle. It's only for emergencies. The juice in the cordial will cure any injury. But use it wisely. It won't last forever." I nodded again. That night, I slipped outside, and watched the stars overhead. Tears began to roll down my cheeks, and eventually I slipped back inside, and fell asleep.
The next day was the battle. I rode on one of the centaurs, but I was going to stay on the hill, out of the fighting. It was a short battle. Aslan killed the Witch, and her army dispersed almost immediately. Everyone was cheering, and Aslan came up to me. "Your siblings will be in at the Witch's tower. We'll head there now." He said. I rode on his back, and several Narnians accompanied us. It was a short journey to her castle, and Aslan leapt over the gate. I jumped from his back, and started running, calling my siblings' names. But the fortress stayed silent. Aslan unfroze the Narnians that the Witch had turned to stone, and soon everyone was scouring the castle. I ran into a room, still calling my siblings' names, when I suddenly stopped dead in my tracks. You know the feeling you get, when something awful is happening, the feeling of horror and dread, and thinking, 'This can't be happening, this just can't be!' That was what I felt as I looked upon the scene in the room.
Near the doorway was Edmund. His eyes were closed, but the expression on his face was on of nothing but excruciating pain. His shirt was soaked completely in blood, his hands clutching his sides. A dagger protruding from his stomach was the obvious cause of his death. I staggered and had to lean against the wall for support. My dear brother, my ever teasing brother, my sometimes nasty brother, the brother I loved so dearly. I didn't want to look at the rest of the room, but I did. The Beavers were next, each of them dead. Next….was Susan. Her beautiful brown hair scattered around her shoulders, her eyes still open, her face a mask of terror and pain. Whip marks were visible along her shoulders, claw marks at her throat. Her eyes, once so beautiful and shining, now lifeless. My dear sister, the sister who looked over me, loved me, took care of me, gone. Just like that. I could hardly bare to look at the next figure.
Peter. He was on his side, looking as if he'd tried to crawl to Susan or Edmund just before he died. Slices along his upper body looked like they'd been made from a sword. And though he looked like he'd been in unbearable pain, the expression on his face was on of desperation. As though he had tried to save Susan and Edmund, tried to stop the Witch from killing them. Because I knew my brother well. And he would have been more concerned for his siblings than for himself. My older brother. The one who was so protective. The one who kissed my bruised elbows, binded up my scraped knees, wiped away my tears when I cried, and gave me a hug when I needed one. The brother would stop everything to help me. The sibling I was closest to.
And then I screamed. A loud horrific scream of pain and grief. I fell to my knees, sobs racking my body. Aslan was there at once, and he stopped when he saw the bodies. "Oh no." He murmured. I was rocking back and forth, gasps escaping me. "Lucy." Mr. Tumnus came in, gently put his arms around me, and led me from the room. Aslan followed, and when we were outside, turned to me, signaling for Mr. Tumnus to go back to the castle. "Lucy. Come here child." So I went to him, and buried my face in his mane, still sobbing. He let me cry for a while, gently soothing me with his words, rubbing my back with his paw. Finally, I stood up, and brushed the tears away. "I don't know how I can get through this Aslan." I whispered. "You will child, you will." I got on his back, and we ran with the Narnians towards Cair Paravel.
That night, I cried for hours. Aslan let me, knowing I needed to let out my pain and grief. Memories of Edmund teasing me, Susan gently reminding me to pick up my things, Peter lifting me up in his arms kept going through my mind. I would never see them again. Never hear Edmund tease me about my silly games, never see Susan with her warm smile, never feel Peter's strong arms around me. Never hear their voices, feel one of them shaking me awake, though Edmund did it by yelling boo, hear their footsteps walking down the hall, feel them taking my hand to cross the street. Never hear Peter being the comforting brother, Susan being a mother, or Edmund being the annoying older brother. Never again.
I fell to my knees, sobs escaping me. I think I eventually fell asleep, because I remember waking up on the floor, Aslan gently telling me to get up. "Lucy, we have much we need to talk about." I nodded, and sat down on the bed. "Narnia needs a leader. Though all four thrones will not be filled, the prophecy will still be fulfilled. Two sons of Adam, and 2 daughters of Eve did fight for Narnia, though only one can take a throne. Lucy, are you willing to be queen?" I said nothing for a moment. "Yes."
I took a deep breath before I walked into the throne room. I had agreed to be queen, even though I wanted to go home. Narnia needed me, and I knew Peter would have approved of my choice. I walked down the aisle, Aslan waiting for me by the thrones. I climbed up the steps, and stood in front of the throne. "Like the sun that shines on the northern shore, I give you Queen Lucy, the Valiant." I took my spot in front of the throne, a strong, willing expression on my face. Mr. Tumnus came up to me, and placed a gold crown on my head. I took a couple steps back and sat down. "Long live Queen Lucy!" The Narnians chanted. The rest of the night went by in a blur. There was a feast, and many Narnians came up and spoke to me, but I felt as if I was in a daze. Eventually, Aslan noticed, and let me go up to my room. That night, curled up on my bed, I cried myself to sleep again.
The funeral was the next day. A servant helped me dress, and get ready for it. My siblings were to be buried by the willow tree, and as I walked through the castle, I paused in the entryway to the throne room. Three empty thrones. Three thrones that should have been filled.
I continued outside where Aslan was waiting for me. He said nothing, just looked at me with those golden eyes. I walked beside him down to the willow tree, where several Narnians were waiting. Even though my siblings had not taken the throne, they funerals were treated as if they had. They would have, had we gotten there in time. I stood stiffly in front of the 3 holes, and Aslan began to speak. "Peter's, Edmund's and Susan's deaths were not in vain. They died a noble death, dying for Narnia. Though they are not with us in body, their spirits will live in Narnia forever." The caskets were lowered, and tears began to stream down my face. Dirt was shoveled on top, elegant gravestones placed on top of that.
Everyone bowed their heads, a silent moment given to the dead heroes, my family. Several roses were placed, and the Narnians began the mournful parade back to the castle. I continued standing there however. Aslan looked over at me, his eyes grave, but sympathetic. "They will live with you always Lucy, remember that." He joined the sad parade, and let me have my moment to grieve.
I knelt down by the graves, tears still streaming. "Edmund…you were annoying, even mean at times, but I never stopped loving you. Even when you changed, when you became more moody, my love for you stayed as strong as ever. I wish I had gotten the chance to tell you that, and to say goodbye." My voice began to crack, but I continued. "Susan, my wonderful sister. You were always the one that made sure my shoes were tied, my room neat, and my schoolwork done when Mum wasn't around. You were like a sister, and a mother to me, and I love you for it. Thank you Susan, for everything."
"Peter. You were the one I went to for strength. The one I looked to for comfort. The one who would stop everything to give me a hug. I always looked up to you, always admired you, and I will miss you always." I stood up, barely keeping myself together. "I miss all of you dearly, and think of you all the time. I…love you!" At this, I broke down, sobs escaping me once more. "I can't do this. I can't do this without you! I need you!" I cried. "Edmund, I need you to tease me, to remind me of the memories of home! Susan, I need you to remind to pick up my things, to tuck me in at night! Peter…I need you to give me a hug!" I screamed, my body shaking with sobs. I heard a gentle voice above me. "Come child." Aslan murmured. "Please give them back! Please Aslan, I need them!"
"Lucy, their time had come. They had to go child." I buried my face in his mane. "I don't know how I'll manage without them." I whispered. "You don't have to. They live in you Lucy, their spirits are always with you. But you cannot dwell upon the past. You have to let go sometime Lucy." I hugged Aslan tightly, and stood like that for a while.
I didn't know how I would get through the pain of losing my siblings, but I knew I would. I just had to trust in Aslan, to trust he would make everything alright. And as I walked back to Cair Paravel, I knew I would manage. I would find happiness again, and let go of the pain of losing my siblings. Because even in the darkest hours of the night, morning always comes again.
So...good or bad? Please review! I mean really, I get lots of hits on my other two stories, but only 2 reviews. If you think it's bad, I want to know! If you think it's good, I want to know! So, please take 2 minutes, and give me a review. What parts worked for you, what parts didn't, that sort of thing. Or just a simple compliment. I'm not picky, though I do really appreciate the ones that really evalutate, and tell me how I did. And the more reviews I get, the more motivated I'll be to write my next one! Unfortunatly, if I have any fans out there, it won't be for a little while. Sorry guys. You'll just have to wait. Currently working on the next chapter on my other story that I really want to get finished, and posted. See ya! (And any people who review, will get a response back! Maybe even a spoiler on my short story I plan on posting!)