Chapter 6: The Guardian Before Narnia

"Welcome, Peter, Son of Adam. Welcome, Susan and Lucy, Daughters of Eve. And welcome to you, Beavers. You have my thanks. But where is the fourth?" Aslan asked after addressing them. The Pevensies and Beavers frowned at how he didn't address Jules, but thought it best not to say anything.

"That's why we're here, sir," Peter said as he and his siblings rose. Jules remained kneeling, her eyes closed. "We need your help."

"We had a little trouble along the way," Susan said.

"Our brother's been captured by the White Witch," Peter explained.

"Captured?" Aslan asked as the crowd behind them all murmured to themselves. "How could this happen?" Out of the corner of his eye, Peter saw Jules bow a little lower.

"He… betrayed them, Your Majesty," Mr. Beaver said upon seeing that none of the Pevensies were going to speak. There were even more gasps and murmurs.

"Then he has betrayed us all!" The centaur exclaimed.

"Peace, Oreius," Aslan intervened. Oreius fell silent. "I'm sure there's an explanation."

"It was my fault, sir," The Pevensies heard. It was Jules who had said it. Her head was bowed and she seemed to be cowering in shame. "It was my job to bring them here… all four of them. And I failed."

"Rise, my Guardian," Aslan spoke. Jules did as she was told and went to stand before the Great Lion.

"No!" Peter cried, unable to believe any of what was happening was Jules's fault. Everyone looked at him. "It was my fault, really," he said. "I was too hard on him." Susan put a hand on her brother's shoulder.

"We all were," she said.

"Sir, he's our brother," Lucy said quietly.

"I know, dear one," Aslan replied. "But that only makes the betrayal all the worse. This may be harder than you think." The Pevensies did not like the sound of that, but they didn't say anything. Soon, they were collected by some Narnians to get food, water, and fresh clothing.

"Julianna," she heard. Jules turned with sad eyes to the Great Lion and he looked into her. He had watched her these past years, months for her. "What's troubling you?" Aslan knew what was troubling her and Jules knew that he knew. He just wanted her to say it.

"I feel this is all my fault," she said. Aslan looked at the girl sadly. "It was my responsibility to bring them here… all of them, not just three of them. If I had been focusing and doing my job, Edmund would be here with us."

"Go on," Aslan said gently. Jules looked at him with watery eyes.

"I wasn't here to take care of Narnia. Jadis has taken over and I wasn't here to help with anything. I just left!" Aslan was startled at that statement. It was like she had forgotten that he sent her away without giving her a choice. "I should've been here and I wasn't. What kind of guardian leaves their land, their home?"

"You didn't leave by choice, Julianna," Aslan told her. "I sent you away."

"But why?" Jules asked. It wasn't often she questioned the Great Lion, but she couldn't contain herself this time.

"Because it was for your own safety, to ensure you made it here with the Pevensies, and to make sure you reconnected with Digory." Jules didn't reply. She knew why Aslan had done what he had done, and she understood. Aslan continued talking, more gently this time.

"My Guardian, remember why I chose you. Do not lose faith in yourself. You have done your duty, just as I have always asked. There is nothing you have done wrong."

"I'm sorry, Aslan," Jules whispered. She reached forward and hugged the Great Lion. He leaned into her and spoke softly.

"You are always forgiven, Julianna. You need only forgive yourself," he said. Jules pulled away and nodded. She wiped her eyes and gave Aslan a small, grateful smile before going to find her tent.

~)8(~

Later that day, Aslan found Peter upon a hill. The boy was staring out at Cair Paravel across the ocean.

"That is Cair Paravel, the castle of the four thrones," Aslan told Peter coming to stand beside him. "In one of which you will sit, Peter, as High King." He did not reply. "You doubt the prophecy?"

"No," Peter said. "That's just it. Aslan, I'm not what you all think I am."

"Peter Pevensie. Formerly of Finchley." Peter stared at him slightly. "Beaver also mentioned that you threatened to turn him into a hat." Peter cracked a smile and Aslan chuckled quietly. "Peter, there is a Deep Magic, more powerful than any of us that rules over Narnia. It defines right from wrong and governs all our destinies. Yours… Julianna's… even mine."

"But I couldn't even protect my own family," Peter protested.

"You've brought them this far," Aslan said. Peter looked away.

"Not all of them." In that moment, Aslan was reminded of Jules. The insecurity he had just seen in Peter reflected the insecurity Aslan had seen in Jules for centuries. She was finally getting better before he sent her away, but the progress had been lost when she came back.

"Peter, I will do what I can to help your brother, but I need you to consider what I ask of you. I, too, want my family safe," Aslan said. He fell silent and a few minutes later, Peter spoke.

"Sir, why did Jules think what happened to Edmund was her fault?" he asked. "It's not, is it?"

"No," Aslan said. Peter sighed in relief. "Peter, there is something you must understand about Julianna. Despite her role in this world, she has always been very insecure. Even in her life before Narnia she was that way. She believes she is unworthy and incapable of doing her job as a Guardian: taking care of and being there for Narnia." Peter looked at Aslan, confused.

"But, you wouldn't have chosen her if she was unworthy," he said. "Why is she insecure? She has no reason to be."

"Some people are just that way. I find that the most insecure people have the least amount of reason to feel that way. Julianna is more powerful and magical than she will ever know. She and Narnia are one. So many believe they are merely connected, that they affect each other and depend on each other, but it's more than that. Julianna is the embodiment of the Deep Magic. The Deep Magic is not just a set of written laws, but a deeper, actual magic, and when it was created, it needed a host. Julianna became that host. Narnia gets its life from her and she gets her life from Narnia." Peter's eyes widened at that piece of information. He had no idea how much Jules and Narnia depended on and related to each other. Again, he felt like he was just starting to understand how important Jules was to everything. The fact that she practically was the Deep Magic explained so much about her, but it was still shocking to learn.

"Just how powerful is Jules?" Peter asked.

"She isn't powerful in a physical sense, not in the way many think. But just the fact that she is Narnia's life source and the host of the Deep Magic makes her very powerful, more powerful than most. She could easily defeat the White Witch with her magic, but Julianna never would. She's too good. She would never use her powers to kill someone. She may use them for people or even against them in battle, but never to kill them. She's too kind, too loving. Julianna, actually, is quite possibly the most caring person, the most innocent person I've ever met, despite her long life," Aslan explained.

"Long life?" Peter asked.

"Julianna was born in the year 1997 in your world, but came to Narnia 1,000 years ago. I sent her away for her own protection a century ago. Julianna is almost 1,000 years old," Aslan said. Peter's eyes widened. He would've never guessed. She didn't look a day over 16. Aslan seemed to know what Peter was thinking. "The Deep Magic keeps Julianna young and healthy. If it didn't, Narnia would've been without a Guardian centuries ago." With that, Aslan left the boy to his thoughts. Peter didn't really know what to make of that information. He just stared out at Cair Paravel, only coming out of his thoughts when he heard another voice behind him.

"Are you okay?" It was Jules. Peter turned around and immediately looked into her eyes. They were a deep jade color, more green than blue. It matched the jade in her weapons. But, there was a certain… something in her eyes. She truly didn't look older than 16, but Peter could see the centuries in her eyes. They looked… deep. It was like her eyes were a deep, dark abyss full of mystery, wisdom, and secrets. Peter wondered just how much this girl had seen, just how much she had been through in her years in Narnia.

"I was just thinking," Peter told her.

"I often find myself thinking," Jules said. She looked out at Cair Paravel. "Then I remember that thinking is often an adult thing to do. So, I stop."

"What do you do instead of think?" Peter asked. Jules didn't reply, she merely continued to look at the sea.

"Have you ever wanted to explore what's out there?" she asked. Peter looked confused. "To the east of Narnia are the Lone Islands. But, nothing has been explored past that. I've always wanted to go exploring out there. Wouldn't you?"

"Yes, I suppose I would," Peter said. "But this land, in general, is unknown to me. You know it much better than I do."

"That's true," Jules admitted. "But lands and places change with time, just like people. New lifeforms arise, new discoveries are made. Land can wither away and nature can grow. Narnia, in a way, is much the same as it was the last time I saw it. But when I returned you with, I barely recognized it. The winter Jadis had plunged the land into had taken over, but now, I find myself staring at the world I once knew, the world I long to protect, my home. Not the guardian-less world Jadis ruled over." Peter stared at Jules while she said that. Her eyes had looked far away, like she was remembering something. Peter thought Jules had never looked more mature and wise than in that moment. However, when she turned to meet Peter's gaze, the look was gone and she was back to her normal self.

"What was your life like before Narnia?" Peter asked. He found himself wondering ever since Aslan told him she was not from his time. Jules smiled slightly.

"I lived in London and went to an all-girls academy that specialized in the arts. Dancing, singing, performing, acting, painting, drawing, design, photography, music theory and instruments, even cooking and baking. My mother was a model and my father a famous photographer. They both wanted me to do something in the arts. I even had a younger brother. His name was Noah."

"Did you like your school?" Peter asked. Jules thought for a minute.

"Yes and no. I liked certain subjects, but there were definitely times where I didn't enjoy school at all. I didn't have many friends so it could get terribly lonely at times. Most of the girls in my class liked shopping and spending time with each other and spying on the all-boys academy just across the road. I would often be content spending an afternoon in the library. I think all my classmates thought I was odd."

"And how did you get to Narnia? The first time, I mean," Peter said. Jules smiled, remembering that.

"Well, like I said, I spent a rather large amount of time in the school library. And it wasn't a small library, mind you. I was exploring the section where the older, more historical books were kept when I came upon a small book, no bigger than my hand." Peter compared Jules's hands to his. They were rather small, lithe and gentle compared to his large, callused hands. "Well, naturally, I was curious, so I opened the book, but there was nothing inside. Naturally, I was disappointed, but something happened. A drawing appeared on the pages. I leaned into to inspect it and next thing I knew, I had fallen into Narnia where I met Digory Kirke and Polly Plummer."

"Wait, Kirke?" Peter asked doing a double take at that name. That was the Professor. Jules smiled at his reaction.

"Why do you think the Professor was so curious about the magical wood that Lucy had found?" Peter gaped. He never would've guessed the Professor had been to Narnia, but it did explain his reaction when he found out Lucy had found this land in the wardrobe. It even explained why he had the wardrobe in the first place.

"What do you think will happen back home if we stay here?" Peter asked. At first, he had immediately wanted to go home, but now… he was really starting to like Narnia. Plus, Lucy loved it. And they were expected to stay and become the Kings and Queens of Narnia.

"I expect nothing much will have happened," Jules said. "Time moves differently here in Narnia than it does in your world. Years can go by here and only seconds will have passed in your world. So, if you do decide to stay, you won't have missed much back in your world." Peter felt a little relief at that.

"Do… Do you want to stay?" Jules asked him timidly. It was almost like she was afraid of his answer.

"I don't know," Peter said honestly. Jules nodded, accepting that and relaxing at that. Peter didn't know what she expected him to say, but he was glad she wasn't upset by his answer. He was starting to see her as another sister. She had lived with them at Professor Kirke's, traveled to Narnia with them and had even supported and protected them on their journey. And through understanding her role in Narnia and getting to know the real her, he was truly starting to grow quite fond of her. The two of them stood there looking at Cair Paravel when a horn sounded. Peter and Jules took one look at each other.

"Susan!" they gasped. The two of them bolted.

Hey all! Here's my first somewhat original chapter! Let me know what you all think of it and what Jules' life was life before she got to Narnia! Anyway, since it is now Spring Break (thank God for that) I'm hoping to get a lot more of this story posted over the next week and to update my other stories as well :)

Reviews

wildhorses1492: Thanks for the review! I'm really glad you like the story :)
Lauren Kassidy: Yeah, I wanted to make it so Jules had a role not just with Narnia, but with its rulers and the way things happen. Yeah and I'm glad her relationships with the others are believable. She connects with Lucy the best because they're both so innocent and curious and faithful, but I also wanted to have Peter's thoughts on her as well seeing as they're the closest in age and he's the High King. At this point, their relationships are pretty good, but they will only get stronger in the battle. Thanks for all the support, Lauren!

Cheerio!