Chapter Two

I opened my eyes, which I hadn't realized were closed, and looked around. There was light above me, and darkness below me, and everything was foggy, and strange, as if I were underwater. The thought that maybe I was underwater startled me, and I went rushing upwards, towards the light, and then I was scrambling of my own accord onto the bank, for I had been in water after all. I sat back on the dry ground, and examined the pool before me, for that's what it was, a pool. It was fairly small, and the water was clear, but I couldn't see the bottom. I blew out a breath, and noticed that I wasn't short of breath at all, and my clothes weren't wet, as they should have been after being submerged in a pool. I frowned, and stared at the offending pool. I had a faint memory of being somewhere else before I was here, but I felt so at home here, that I quickly dismissed the thought. I took the opportunity to look around, taking in my surroundings. I was in a forest, with trees, and as I looked, I noticed that there were more pools scattered about the wood. I turned back to the one I was at, and then stood, stifling a yawn. I was awfully tired, and this wood was so peaceful, I wanted to lie down right here on the ground and sleep. But something told me not to. I had a strange feeling that if I did, nothing good would come of it. So instead, I kicked up a bit of earth on the bank of the pool, and started to walk towards another one. As I neared it, I peered into the depths, and swallowed, feeling strangely inclined to jump. But why? I'd never left the wood before, why should I now? I leaned forward, trying to get a closer look at the pool, when something in my reflection caught my eye. The chain hanging around my neck, with two rings on it. I stopped, and examined the rings, the green one, and the yellow one. I knit my eyebrows, for I had the strangest feeling that I had seen them before, but this also seemed like the first time I'd noticed them. I let the rings fall back against my chest, looked back at the pool. Taking a step forward, I grasped the rings on the chain to stop them swinging about, and peered again over the edge, staring into the dark, clear water. Before I could take a breath, the bank seemed to give way beneath me, and I slipped into the pool. I closed my eyes, waiting for the splash and the cold water, but instead I felt something soft, and cold. Opening my eyes I glanced around. I was in a field, bordered by trees on one side, and a slight rocky hill on the other. It was dark, and the moon was out, shining down on the vast expanse in front of me. Everything was covered in snow, and I shivered, standing quickly and brushing the wet flakes from my thin nightdress. I turned around, and gasped as I was greeted by a large lion. My heart began to race, and I stumbled backwards, quickly falling into the snow. As I scrambled to back away, the lion opened its mouth and a deep, rich voice came forth.

"Peace, child." I stopped, and stayed sitting in the snow, breathing heavily. Had the lion just spoken?

"S—Sorry?" The lion started forward, his paws making large prints in the snow.

"You need not be afraid," he spoke again. "For I have called you here." I knit my eyebrows. Every part of me wanted to run, even if the lion was speaking, it was still a lion. But I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of calm when he spoke, and I had the most unusual feeling that I didn't need to be afraid, as he had said. I decided to satisfy my curiosity.

"Where is…here?" I asked hesitantly. The lion looked at me with his big, golden eyes.

"It is called Narnia."

"Narnia?" I looked around. "That's…that's not on earth…" He shook his head.

"No, it is not in your world. You were brought here, to our world, because I called you here." I studied the tawny cat in front of me.

"Who are you?"

"I have many names, child, but here I am known as Aslan."

"Aslan," I said, speaking more to myself than him. "Why have you…called me here?" I asked, staring evenly at him. He stood tall, pawing the snow at his feet.

"Narnia is in need of help, and protection. There will be four kings and queens that will break the curse, but they will need your help. You are to protect them, when their time comes." I swallowed, my throat suddenly dry.

"Protect them? I—I can't—"

"I would not bestow this task upon you, Daughter of Eve," Aslan spoke evenly. "If I did not know that you had the strength to complete it." I nodded, feeling properly chastised.

"Yes, Aslan." The lion plodded closer to me, before moving past me, his voice carrying over the wind.

"Follow me," I did, without hesitation. I stood, picking up the sodden skirt of my night dress, and waded through the snow, after the great cat. After a few minutes, my socked feet and bare legs were nearly numb, and my wet night gown was stiff and frozen. I shivered, my teeth chattering, but I said nothing. I trusted Aslan, and I trusted that he wouldn't let me die out here. So I kept on, until I caught sight of something in the distance. A camp, it seemed, with tents, and flags, and a fire or two. I sighed in relief, and moved to take another step, when my legs gave way, and I tumbled face first into the snow. I gasped, and looked up, expecting to see Aslan. But he was gone, and his paw prints were soon blown away by the sharp wind. I groaned, and tried to push myself up, but my limbs refused to work. I was about to give up hope when a sudden shout sounded through the night, and a heard footsteps approaching fast. I barely managed to lift my head enough to see two shadows moving towards my, one carrying a light. I tried to call out, but my tongue felt like lead, and I put my head back down, anxious for sleep to take away the cold and the pain.

I opened my eyes, and stared up at the colorful ceiling. Red fabric, embroidered with gold, swayed above me. I pushed myself up, into a sitting position, and glanced around. I was in a tent, sitting in a small cot that was piled with blankets. A fire crackled in the center of the room, the smoke escaping through the small hole at the top of the tent. Two other empty cots stood around the fire, and the walls of the tent were lined with odds and ends, trunks, blankets, and even a small table. As I was taking in my surroundings, the flap of the tent was pushed aside, and two women came inside. They were talking in hushed whispers, and they didn't notice me. One was rather short, and stocky. She had curly blonde hair, tied into a bun, and was wearing some sort of leather armor over a tunic. She had a kind face, with light eyes and a bright smile, and rosy cheeks. She seemed normal enough, until I looked at her legs, which were covered entirely in shaggy fur, and ended in dainty cloven hooves. A small tail even peeked out from beneath her tunic. The other woman was taller, and leaner. She moved gracefully, and wore a brown dress that brushed the floor when she walked. Her hair fell in short curls around her face, faded and gray, yet she looked young. She had a beautiful face, her skin a deep brown, but her eyes were a dull green, though it was easy to imagine that they had once been quite vibrant. I shifted slightly on the cot, and both women turned towards me, their eyes wide. For a moment none of us spoke, until I cleared my throat.

"Um…hi," Immediately they both started forward. The shorter woman with the hooves came and rested her warm hand on my forehead.

"How are you feeling? Warm enough?" I nodded, and the tall, willowy woman brought me a cup of steamy liquid.

"Drink this," she said softly, handing it to me. I took it, and sniffed it briefly before taking a sip. It was good; it tasted like some sort of herbal tea. I kept the cup cradled in my hands.

"Thank you," I glanced around the tent again. "Where am I?" The blonde woman smiled.

"You're in Aslan's camp! He's assembling his army." She gestured to herself and the tall woman. "We're apart of his army." I nodded.

"Aslan…" I remembered following the great lion to the camp, before falling unconscious. "He's assembling an army?" The blonde woman smiled and nodded.

"Yes! He's sending the kings and queens to save us, but we need to help them." She nodded to me. "You're going to help them, too!" I nodded.

"Yeah, Aslan said that." Her eyes widened.

"Aslan? You've spoken to him?" I nodded.

"Yeah, just before I…" I paused. "Fainted. I think, anyway. It's all a bit foggy, to be honest." I glanced around. "So…how did I get here?" The tall woman looked up from where she was fussing with a blanket on one of the other cots.

"Oreius and Aja brought you here. They found you in the snow, just outside of camp. One of the scouts saw you." The blonde raised her hand.

"That's me. I'm Aja," I smiled, and nodded at her.

"Thank you, Aja," I paused, hesitant to voice my question. "I'm terribly sorry, I don't want to be rude, but…what exactly are you?" She laughed.

"I should've guessed. Your own two legs are hairless as a nymph's! I'm a faun, my dear." I nodded, my cheeks reddening slightly at her comment about my legs. The tall woman moved towards us again.

"And I am a dryad," she said. "My name is Arden," I smiled.

"It's wonderful to meet you both," it occurred to me that they didn't know who I was. "My name is Evelyn, by the way."

"Oh, Evelyn! What a pretty name!" exclaimed Aja. Arden smiled softly.

"Yes, it's very pretty."

"Thank you," I lifted my cup to my lips to hide my blush. Aja leaned forward.

"So, is it true that you're a daughter of Eve?" I frowned.

"A what?"

"A daughter of Eve," said Arden. "A human." I nodded.

"Yes. Aren't there any humans in Narnia?" Aja shook her head.

"Not in Narnia, no. Aside from you, of course, and the kings and queens."

"Who are the kings and queens I keep hearing about, anyway?" I asked, wrapping my fingers around my drink. Arden shook her head.

"We don't know. All we know about them is that they're human, like you. They're to come from a different world." Aja nodded.

"When Adam's flesh and Adam's bone sits in Cair Paravel in throne, the evil times will be over and done. That's the prophecy."

"What evil?" I asked. Aja and Arden glanced at each other apprehensively.

"The White Witch," said Arden in a hushed voice. "She has cast all of Narnia into a hundred year winter, and she rules mercilessly, claiming that she is the sole, true ruler of Narnia."

"But she isn't," Aja added. "That's why Aslan has chosen the Kings and Queens. To come and save us, and defeat the Witch." I nodded.

"And I'm supposed to protect them? The whole royal family?" Aja nodded.

"Well, yes." I sighed.

"Alright, so, what's Cair Paravel?"

"The castle on the shore of the Eastern Sea," said Arden. "Where the kings and queens will live."

"And you, of course," Aja added. "Since you're to be their Knight, and all." I blinked.

"Their Knight?"

"The protector," said Aja. "You've been brought here by Aslan to prepare yourself, so that you can protect the kings and queens on their journey, and during their reign." I let out a slow breath.

"Me? Really?" Arden nodded.

"Aslan must have seen something great in you, if he chose you. You mustn't doubt him." I nodded.

"I guess, I just…" I trailed off. "It's hard to believe in yourself, sometimes. And that's a lot of responsibility." Aja rested a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't worry, Evelyn. That's why Aslan brought you here; so that you can prepare." I nodded solemnly.

"All right," I looked up at both women, who were watching me intently. "When do I start?" Aja smiled.

"Oreius and I will begin teaching you tomorrow." She said. "So you best get some rest." She took my cup gently from my hands, and set it on the small table against the wall of the tent. Arden pulled the blanket back up over my shoulders.

"Rest well, Protector," she smiled, and turned away, both she and Aja backing out of the tent. As I watched the flickering firelight on the walls of the tent, I thought I saw the shadow of a great lion pass outside, and I drifted off to sleep feeling warm and comforted.