Chapter Four

Lucy, returning sooner than she had expected, had found the castle abuzz with news about a strange girl from 'the other place' who had arrived that morning. Susan had seemed reluctant to talk about the girl. Now Lucy watched as her sister pushed the food around on her plate without eating it, while Kylee fired questions at her between mouthfuls.

"Tell me what your brothers are like," she said.

Lucy, who would much rather hear about their own world (a pang went through her at the thought of their mother, who must so long ago have given up all hope that she would ever see her children again), replied, "It's very difficult to tell you. You must see them for yourselves."

"But are they, like, always arguing with each other?" asked Kylee with a grin.

"We all argue with one another," said Lucy. "But not as much as we used to. It's often difficult to come to a consensus when there are four different people who are all very opinionated, but over the years we've learned that each of us has certain areas where we excel. Edmund is keen-eyed and wise, and so he most often sits in judgement. Peter is a warrior and leads the army. Susan meets with diplomats and ambassadors, and of course she manages the Cair. I attend to the needs of our people; I travel all around Narnia, hear disputes, heal grievous illnesses or wounds, and bring aid after disasters such as flood or fire."

Kylee paused with her fork almost to her mouth. "I didn't know there was so much to do!" she said.

"There is more than that. I have only told you the more interesting aspects. We of course have dull duties and tasks that take up much of our time. In fact, once this meal is over I will dictate a report of what I did today."

"What did you do?"

"I oversaw the completion of a new hospital a mile from the Dancing Lawn. Winter is not far off, and that is a time when many people become sick all at once." She smiled at Kylee's confused look. "It is always better to have something like that before you really need it. We have another hospital, but it is close to being filled."

"But can't you just use your cordial?" asked Kylee.

"I reserve it for grave injuries and fatal illnesses. It will run out some day. I have less than half the bottle left; I'm afraid I was rather reckless with it in the first year of my reign."

"Well, at least there's some left the next time you come to Narnia!" Kylee said, then stopped and glanced at Susan. Lucy turned towards her sister as well and saw grave displeasure there.

She wondered why the girl's words had upset her so, but Kylee seemed to understand. She asked no more questions during the meal, and hardly raised her eyes from her plate.

As soon as luncheon was over, Lucy asked Voluns to show Kylee around, and she followed Susan to the library. She waited as Susan paced back and forth without speaking for some minutes, and then, unable to hold back her curiosity any longer, said,

"Susan, dear, tell me what is the matter?"

"Oh Lucy." Susan sat down, clenching her hands together. "The longer that girl is here, the less I will be able to keep it from you, so I shall tell you at once and hear what you have to say."

She paused for a moment. Lucy leaned forward, a knot of fear growing in her stomach.

"Well!" Susan began. "She seems to know something of our future, as, what we will do, when we will do it. Some of her knowledge is incorrect, but not all of it. She has told me … more than I ought to know, and it frightens me."

"What has she told you?" Lucy, who had rarely seen Susan in such a state of mind, could hardly keep her own mind from wandering to unsettling worries for Peter and Edmund, or perhaps Lune or someone in his family. She knew how fond Lune and Susan were of each other.

"Oh, Lucy, it's ridiculous! It really is." Susan gave a small, choked laugh. "It involves no death, but a great change of our fortunes; a thing that I had long ceased thinking could happen. I really believe," and here she turned her face so that Lucy could not see it. "I believe that if what she has said comes to pass, it would break our hearts."

"But what is it?" Lucy hated to persist. She wanted to forget it all. But something in her had to know.

"That … we shall leave Narnia, and return to our own world as if we had never left it. As … children once more."

"Oh!" Lucy sat back. It was so different from all her fears that at first she felt relieved. Then she saw, as Susan's profile became visible, the tears on her sister's cheeks, and realized what such a thing would mean, not only for themselves, but for Narnia as well.

"I have been pondering what we might do to avert such a thing, and whether it is right even to do so." Susan sounded more in control of herself now. "I suppose we must tell Peter and Edmund." She sighed and turned fully towards Lucy. "But I cannot bear the thought of leaving Narnia and all those that we love. If Aslan has sent her, as I must believe, then perhaps he has sent her so that we might make a choice. Shall we continue as we have for these many years, or take the adventure he sets before us?"

"Perhaps there is no choice to be made," said Lucy. "She may know nothing."

"Perhaps." Susan rose. "And now we have duties which we must attend to. But I think first I will speak to Kylee."

At Lucy's alarmed glance, she raised her hand. "No, I do not intend to ask her for any more details regarding our future. I wish to tell her that, if she speaks any more of that knowledge, whether it is true or false, she will find herself promptly locked up."