Mrs. Buttercup didn't came in my room the next morning. That's funny. She always come in with a tray of breakfast. Oh well I threw the warm covers off me and pulled back the curtains. Sunny. As always. Placing a hand over my mouth to cease the yawning, I march over to the bathroom.

Out of all the rooms in the castle, this bathroom was my favorite. It was painted brown. The floor was yellow marble. There was a bathtub complete with a mini stair to go up. Also with a window giving me a view of the ocean next to it -curtains included. The basin of water and mirror was located just a few feet away. The walls were decorated with lots of pictures of landscapes and paintings of flowers.

I went for the basin first. I wash my face feeling fresh and energize. I look up to see Mrs. Buttercup staring at me in the mirror.

"Oh! You scared me," I said, placing a hand over my heart.

"Sorry my dear. I slept in late. Breakfast is on the table."

"Where are you going?" I ask, drying my face with a towel.

"Mr. Buttercup has come home," she said with an excited giggle, leaving the room. I turn around to bathtub, ready to soak all the bubbly-goodness but the tub was empty. I wonder if I can get a bucket of water but where….

Scanning….Scanning…..Aha! A brown bucket was perched on top of the shelf where towels and soaps were located.

"Excuse me, where can I get some fresh water?" I ask one lady in the courtyard.

"Oh yes, there's a small river just about North from here." She replied.

"Oh thank you." Five minutes, I was completely lost. "North? What the heck do I look like? A compass?" I muttered as I step over a branch. As instructed and followed, no luck in finding the river. Just more trees and cliffs.

"There's the river." I peek over the cliff. About 19 feet from up here. I hook the bucket over my shoulder and twist a vine to test its strength and slowly haul myself over.

"Nice and easy." I whispered.

Crack! My head snap up to see the vine giving way. Snap! I gave out a scream as my body fell down. I tried to grab onto anything that was sticking out but it was no use. My body hit the ground with a thud, leaving me like a vegetable. The tree where the vine was connected was leaning over. The tree tilted forward and with a great big snap, fell down.

"Watch out!"

I was pulled away by my underarms just as soon as the tree hit where I was at, plummeting to the river.

"Are you alright?" Her voice sounded far and drowned in my ears. The world had blackened.


"Where's Ava?" Caspian ask Lilliandil. She was in the breakfast room, calmly eating.

"How should I know? I didn't see her since last night." Replied Lilliandil.

"I haven't seen her. She's not in her room, not in the courtyard. What did you do Lilliandil?"

She placed her fork down. "So you think I had something to do of getting rid of Ava. What makes you think that?"

"If it weren't for your little scheme, I wouldn't be in this mess." Caspian hiss at her. "I would have been engaged to Ava instead."

"It's not a scheme, Caspian-"

"I was drugged that night. I can prove it."

"No, you can't. Father is already angry at you for committing such a sin. If you hurt me Caspian, he will send hell down to destroy Narnia."

"Then be careful what you say or do to Ava. You've been warned." With that, he turn swiftly on his heels walking out of the breakfast room leaving Lilliandil alone. A black hawk swoop down from the window and perched on the chair.

"Does Ava know my lady?" the hawk ask.

"No, she can't be too far from here."

"What happen?"

"Let's just say she went to go get water. The faster she is gone, the quicker my wedding."


I groan, blinking my dry eyes as I sat up. A sudden sharp pain in my back cause me to hiss.

"Be careful. You took a nasty fall there," A female faun with brown hair longer than mine said, carrying a tray of food and tea.

"Where am I?" I ask. I was in a small bed. There was a dying fire near me. Since the space was small, I felt warm and toasty.

"A tree house. My home. I'm Jewel. I saved your life from a falling tree. What were you thinking using a vine to climb down?"

"I'm Ava. Nice to meet you too." Her brown eyes lit up.

"You're not the Ava…umm Garden! You're famous around Narnia!"

"How?" I ask, "I haven't met anybody outside of the castle."

"King Caspian, of course! He comes to our village to provide food and protection for us."

"Village?" I step out of the crooked wooden door and look down. We were high up in the trees where birds could be seen flying.

"Long way down," Jewel spoke behind me. There were bridges connecting to other trees. Fauns were seen walking carrying stuff. Some light, some very heavy. There were flowers blooming everywhere, creating beautiful vines twining around the trees.

"Why live up so high?'

"Protection if there's any danger at all," Jewel answered.

"How did you know I was in danger?"

"The trees," She answered giving me a grin. Seems logical.

"How do you get down or up?"

"We have these wooden boards where you stand on it and then behold, it lifts you up."

"Impressive." I said, nodding my head. "Do you know the way back to the castle?"

"Of course. I'll take you back there tonight, Ava."


Trufflehunter watched with worry as his Highness pace back and forth in his study with his hands behind his back.

"She'll be fine My King."

"I doubt it Trufflehunter. She won't survive the night. Let alone being in the forest. She's scared of horses. What makes you think she won't be scared of other things."

"Butterflies?" Trufflehunter answered.

"I just can't believe Lilliandil would go and do something like this."

"We'll find a way to get you out of this mess sir,"


"Ava? Time to wake up," Jewel whispered. It was nighttime, there were crickets chirping and a full moon was out.

"Already?" I mumbled sleepily. I told Jewel that I'll just take a light nap turns out to be a drooly heavily sleep.

"You've got everything?" She ask. I held up an empty bucket.

"Right," She said. Jewel descended down the Narnia version of the elevator. I was next.

"We'll take a shortcut. I know the forest like the back of my hand." Do you remember when we're sittin' there by the water?You put your arm around me for the first time

"What the bloody hell was that?" Jewel ask, alarmed.

"My cellphone, I always take it with me everywhere. Now's the time to call me. After all this time. Some great timing she has."

"Hello-"

"Ava Johansson Garden. I have been calling you 20 times and what do I get? Nothing. I don't even know where you are. Sam and I are here worrying about your little behind. You could have been killed or kidnapped. I had filed a missing person report on you and don't get me started on the my rip bathroom mat that you-"

"Emily!" I shouted. "I'm fine. There's nothing to worry about."

"Where are you?" She ask, finally calmed down.

"Narnia."

"Where?"

"It's a country in…farawaylandville." I mumbled the last part.

"How the hell-" She pause at her outburst before speaking calmly. "Ava, can you kindly tell me how did you go from New York to Barnia?"

"Narnia."

"Ava we're almost there, just need to cross the river with a boat."

"Who was that?"

"TV. Okay, look I had an emergency call from my…uncle's cousin's brother's stepsister great aunt about a funeral."

"Oh dear. Who died?"

"A woman named Lilliandil."

"When are you getting back Ava?"

"I don't know. Could take days." I replied as I crawl into a tiny boat as Jewel row.

"Sam misses you. He thought some guy took you."

You don't say, I thought.

"Well tell him I'm okay."

"Why don't you tell him yourself?"

"W-What?"

"Hello," the familiar voice spoke through the phone.

"Sam," I swallowed the lump of guilt that was stuck in my throat.

"No calls, no text, no messages. God Ava, do you have any idea the danger you put yourself in?"

"What can I say? I'm a magnet that trouble seems to attract." I joked.

"I've missed you," he said huskily. I gulp even more. "I…missed you too."

"It's been two days since you let. Did you know how the cold the nights are-"

"Alright, alright. Don't make love on my phone, you pervert." I chuckled at Emily in the background.

"Is it boring over there?"

"No, it's beautiful. Very spring-summer feeling season."

"Come back soon. I love you."

"I….love you too." I press the 'End' button, sighing.

"Liar," Jewel spoke.

"Excuse me?"

"You don't love him."

"How would you know?"

"You love Caspian. Not this Sam person." She replied when we reached the other side of the lake.

"You're right but it's complicated."

"Love is not complicated. You just chose it to be complicated. I'm afraid this is the farthest I can go. It's been a pleasure meeting you, Ava."

We bid goodbyes and I started my way back to the castle.

Love is not complicated. You just chose it to be complicated. Jewel's words repeated through my mind. My foot came in contact with a rotten log but I caught myself before I fell.

Snap! What was that? My breathing became heavy and staccato as I hear footsteps coming closer and closer-

"Ava?" Trufflehunter appeared out from the shadows.

"Trufflehunter!" I was glad to see him as I knelt down, hugging him.

"Where have you been? The whole castle has been looking for you," he ask as I followed him.

"A good friend had been taking care of me."

"Well as long as you're not missing anything, come along," he said.

"What happened when I was gone?"

"King Caspian ordered everyone to go look for you. They searched from noon to night. No luck finding you. King Caspian was going to go out looking for himself but the forest can be dangerous especially at night."

"What are you doing out then?" I ask Trufflehunter, hopping over a huge broken tree.

"I collect shiny rocks."

"Ah," I nodded.

"Everyone will be happy that you are unharm and safe. Are you hungry?"

"Famished."

"We're not that far from the castle." The back of the castle came in view.

"The back?" I ask. Trufflehunter then explain to me that the kitchen is located here. There was a secret tunnel to get there. We came across a square cut brick door and Trufflehunter grunted as he pushed it back. It gave way, revealing a low ceiling tunnel way. I crouched down, following Trufflehunter. My back and head were sliding against the ceiling, giving me a back ache. I caught a whiff of food and my mom watered instantly. The view of the kitchen came in sight. There were cooks working quickly creating delicious dish one by one.

"Smell delicious." All heads swiveled to my direction as everyone greeted me happily.

"Yes, yes, she's back but she's famished. She needs food." I was seated down on a wooden chair, waiting patiently for my food. One chef walk up, setting down a plate of a turkey leg.

"Give her soup and water. Sorry, M'dear but I have to go adding new collection." Trufflehunter said. I greedily grab the turkey leg, having a huge bite, then washing it down with soup using no utensils. Forget table manners, I'm hungry.

"Slow down on that turkey. You might choke." Caspian spoke at the door.

"Caspian!" I jump up from my seat, running to hug him. He gave me a tight hug, kissing my hair.

"Thank Aslan, you're alive." I was happy to be back.