It was a cool spring evening, Helene Pevensie laid, covered in sweat and a scream escaped her throat. Her husband sat next to her as he rubbed the hair that clung to her forehead and neck away and gave her hand a squeeze, kissing their entwined fingers lightly. Her hold on his hand became tighter, and her necked arched as she braced herself. The head midwife began instructing her, a sense of urgency in her voice.
"Alright, one more big push and you'll have the babe out. You ready, love? You can do this. Big, deep breath. And…"
Helene let out a long, agonized shriek and then.. she heard the sound of a newborn baby cry. She collapsed back into her pillows and released the breath as tiny, weak cries filled the room.
"It's a boy." the midwife announced. "What would you like to name him?"
"Sebastian Anthony Pevensie." her husband answered for her, his smile apparent in his voice. She looked up at him and saw his face shining with pride as he looked over the midwife's shoulder at his son.
After being presented their newborn babe and cooing over them, Helene fell into a deep and much needed slumber, her husband soon following suit. Luciana, the midwife quietly slipped the baby boy out of her grasp and took them into the next room, which had been made into a nursery to rest.
About two hours later, the new parents were woken from their slumber by the sound of a midwifes shriek from the next room. As they rubbed the sleep out of their eyes and fully woke up, they heard frantic voices and a furry of activity.
Luciana, who along with her team of four midwives was staying the first week with the family to make sure things went well and to watch Peter and Susan for them, burst into their room and looked around. The two parents sat up from their sleeping positions, wide awake and fully alert.
"You didn't get Sebastian from the other room did you?" she asked urgently.
"No.." Helene replied uneasily. She didn't at all like the look on Luciana's face, and sat up further in her bed.
"Why? Is something wrong?" her husband asked, reaching out for her hand and squeezing it tightly. They exchanged frightened glances. After a long silence, Luciana looked up from the ground and steadily held their gazes. "Your son is gone."
~Meanwhile in Narnia~
The Great Northern Mountain has its fair share of magic, as does everything else in Narnia. It was one of the first things constructed by Aslan, the Great Lion, when he breathed life into the magical realm that is Narnia. It now served as his temporary living quarters when he watched over Narnia. His favorite spot was a cave at the top, being a lion and all, of course.
However, on this very particular night, when Aslan was asleep, he was stirred awake by a cold wind, unusual for the height of summer. But even he couldn't have predicted what was about to happen to him next. He rose and walked to the mouth of the cave, where he saw a small object, shrouded in the cloak of night. Aslan retracted his claws, about ready to strike, when there came a small hum. The Lion walked over to the bundle of white cloth on the rock and turned it over with his paw. Aslan's expression softened when he discovered what the object was.
There, in the cloth, lay a babe, no more than a few days old. Aslan wondered at this. Who would leave their child like this? Just then, his ears caught a sound. "I sense your presence," he said. "Show yourself. I will not harm you."
As soon as those words were uttered, a young man climbed over the rock edge. He looked no more than 25. "Ah, Reland, old friend," Aslan smiled. "Tell me what has propelled you to seek me at this hour?" The young man's eyes showed fear and sadness "Aslan, I come here bearing dire news," Reland said. "It's is Jadis. She has discovered what her magic can really do, and she's already seized castle Cair Paravel. I know that it's just a matter of time before she destroys me. She's talked about freezing all of Narnia in an eternal winter, but no Christmas. So I beg of you…" he dropped to his knees at Aslan's paws. "This is my newborn son. I know my time is short and I don't want him to be raised by the real worlds ways. So please, Aslan. I come to you asking for you to raise him. You're the only one I can trust."
The Cat thought over this odd request, but it wasn't long before he smiled at his friend. "Rise," he ordered and Reland obliged. "I shall do what you have asked. I will raise your son as mine, but be warned. I will tell him of his family and past when he reached the coming of 17. He will take his rightful place as King of all of Narnia. And he will also be the one to defeat Jadis not I, for I shall teach the youngling magic used to be able to defeat the White Witch ."
"Aslan, I don't want him to be destructive."
"Reland, his magic will be more beautiful than dangerous, but it will be powerful when needed. Rest assured he will be perfectly safe with me." Aslan smiled once more.
"Oh, praise you, Aslan. But I have one more request. I ask of you to name him Sebastian, that was what his mother called him." Reland fell to his knees again.
"As you wish," said Aslan. "I bid you goodbye, Reland."
"Of course. Goodbye, my son." The man leaned to kiss his son, his black whiskers tickling her face. Aslan looked down at the sleeping child and smiled. When the lion looked back up, Reland was gone. He placed his golden paw over the child and pulled him into the cave.
"You will be safe with me, my child," he whispered, careful not to wake him. He lay down on the smooth rock, placing the little boy underneath his protective paw as snow, the first of the White Witch's eternal winter, began to fall.
