The Naiad Trilogy

Part 1: The Naiad Within

Chapter 9

Lucy stood on the bridge. Aslan stood a short distance behind her. Ava was slightly up-stream on the shore line, her toes mingling with the water. Chérie and Destrier kept close to the forest's edge; they would play no part in what was about to happen.

Lucy and Ava could hear the Telmarines approaching before they saw them. They could hear the stampede of their feet and the ringing of their armor as they ran. They could hear men command their horses to run faster. They could hear the horn blast, signaling the retreat. And Ava could feel the ground trembling with their approach.

Neither girl stood in fear, but both looked calmly upon the forest's edge across the river.

At last the first of the Telmarines began to arrive, and they rushed forward as if not even noticing the young girls waiting for them. As Lord Sopespian emerged from the wood and drew his horse up to the bridge, Aslan stepped up beside Lucy. Sopespian came to a sudden stop, as did the rest of the army. They were cornered as the Narnian army emerged from the wood behind them. Sopespian looked over his shoulder, trying to decide what would be his best plan of survival: continuing onward to face the two girls and the strange lion, or turning back to face an army of strange beasts and trees. Sopespian reared his horse up in a show of confidence as he began to ride forwards, crossing the bridge. Lucy drew her dagger to show that she was not afraid. Sopespian stopped once more as Aslan gave another mighty roar. Ava could feel his magic ripple through her and she stepped further into the river.

The Telmarines who had begun to cross the river looked down in wonder and fear as the water began to recede from beneath their feet. In strange fashion the water flowed up river with great force. All who were present turned their head up-stream as they heard the roar of rushing water. A great wave of tremendous volume had formed. As it began to make its way down stream it changed forms into that of a man; a great man of water.

At the sight of this river man, who of course was none other than the ancient River God awoken from his slumber, the Telmarines in the water began to flee back to the shore in fear while Sopespian rode on. As the Telmarines hurried to safety they could not see what was happening. The Narnians, though, saw everything from the safety of the river bank. They watched as the River God quickly made his way to the bridge. They saw the Telmarines leap from the bridge in fear. They stood in wonder as the River God paused at the bridge and looked over to Aslan, seeking permission. Aslan gave a silent nod.

The River God then looked down to Ava, and she took a few more steps forward. The River God disappeared as he ducked under the bridge, before rising again and lifting the wooden structure with his shoulders. The wood snapped at the shore line cleanly. Most of the Telmarines had managed to jump off before the bridge was raised, but Sopespian had not; he stayed mounted on his horse even as the River God held the bridge before him and stared down at the Telmarine lord. Sopespian remained unafraid, thinking a bit of water and magic could not harm a man such as he. But Sopespian had no more thoughts as the River God unleashed his fury and crashed down upon him drowning him instantly.

As the River God came crashing down Ava lifted her hands with her palms facing out. She was simply reaching out to the River God much as a young child would reach for her father, but to the Telmarines it looked as if Ava was the one responsible for the River God's crash and they thought that she had been controlling him all along. Before the river could fully return to its usual state of calmness, the River God appeared once more and he looked to Ava and smiled.

"Welcome home, my daughter," he said, his voice was deep and throbbing, before he receded into the river once more and everything grew quite. Ava stepped forward and stood in the river's center. She looked over the crowd grandly and spoke to them. Her voice was soft and gentle, quite different than the River God's and yet all heard it just as clearly.

"All Telmarine soldiers who seek safe passage across these waters need but to lay down their weapons and it will be granted to them."

As if fearful she would call back the great man of water, the soldiers began to drop their weapons and one by one the Narnians led them across the river. As they crossed though, the soldiers found that the waters weren't nearly as deep as they had feared they were. At most, the water only ever reached their waist, even for the smallest of them. The Telmarines had no mind to give any thought to this peculiar matter, and most of the Narnians became busy keeping an eye on the Telmarines, taking their weapons and rounding them up.

Slowly Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Caspian began to move across the river; they stared in wonder and awe at the young girl they once knew to be a cleaning maiden. They wondered briefly, if it was even the same girl.

"Ava?" Edmund voiced their doubts as they grew nearer. Ava bowed her head to them in acknowledgment.

"How…?" Caspian began but Ava cut his question off.

"All of your questions will be answered, My King, but in due time." Ava looked at Caspian a bit longer, before looking at the other three royals. "First, you must continue onward. He is waiting to speak with each of you."

Now the four royals looked beyond Ava, to the river bank where Aslan and Lucy stood waiting. Without another word they continued on their path and solemnly approached the Great Lion. Ava remained where she was, for it was she who kept the waters low and steady. On the far bank, Ava saw six mice approach the river and stop at its edge. She spoke quietly to them.

"Come, brave warriors. You will not find the waters too deep, even for you."

They heard her words in their heart and conceded to them as they continued their journey across. Just as it was with everyone else who crossed, the river never exceeded past the waists of the six mice. Ava smiled sadly down upon them as she saw that two of them carried a litter between them on which the noble Reepicheep lay. And she could almost feel the sting of tears when she heard the mice begin their lament again as they reached the shore, but her heart still held too much joy for her tears to fall. Then she heard Reepicheep exclaim, 'Oh, hail Aslan,' she knew she need not to have worried at all. It wasn't long after that, that Ava heard her own name being called.

XOXOX

"Ava!" Lucy called. Caspian, along with the other Pevensies, turned to look at the radiant girl in the water. Caspian could hardly believe that she was the same shy servant he had met a few days ago. She spoke with the same gentleness, but now there was a great strength there too.

Ava looked over her shoulder at them and smiled brightly. She quickly waded through the water to the shoreline. Caspian noticed that she moved through the river with great ease and wondered how she did it. When she reached the rocky shore, Ava did not slow down but she ran to Aslan and knelt before him and kissed his great paw. Aslan returned the gesture by placing a lion's kiss on her forehead.

"Well done, my child," Aslan said to her.

"I only did it with your grace, Aslan."

"And you shall do much more still. Do not forget this day."

"How could I forget the day my heart was filled with so much joy?"

Aslan chuckled. "Arise, my child, and embrace the life that is yours." Ava kissed the Lion's paw once more before rising and standing next to Lucy with a beaming smile on her face.

"You're a Naiad, aren't you?" Edmund asked. "A water nymph," he re-phrased when Caspian looked at him curiously.

"Yes," Ava replied simply.

"Not just a Naiad, though. You're the Naiad Princess, right?" Lucy asked further.

Ava paused for a moment, as if thinking. "Yes…Yes, that is what I am. A descendant of the great River God; the Naiad Princess."

"A princess?" Caspian questioned surprise evident in his voice.

"Yes, but it's a title only. It is not the same as you. I do not have a throne and a crown waiting for me. I will not gain the role of queen one day. It is more like…a voice for my people, for all Narnians; a voice which has been silent for too long. A voice…" Ava trailed off from her passionate speech as she turned her head to look across the river.

"What do you hear my child?" Aslan asked her.

Her voice was soft and sad. "There are Narnians wounded on the battle field. They are calling for their Valiant Queen." Ava turned to look at Lucy now.

"My cordial," Lucy whispered as her hand went to the diamond bottle on her hip. Lucy looked to Aslan; he nodded at her and she knew he meant for her to go to their aid.

"Come, Lucy, I will take you across the river. You will move much faster with me. What? What did I do?"

"You called me 'Lucy,'" Lucy smirked.

"I—I'm sorry. I will…"

"No, don't change it. We are friends Ava; I insist upon it. Now let us go." Lucy grabbed Ava's hand and they ran to the edge of the river before Ava stopped.

"Wait." Ava looked back at Aslan. "What if there are wounded Telmarines?"

At this, Aslan looked to Caspian to wait for his answer. "Treat all who are wounded equally. May the days of peace between Narnians and Telmarines begin now," Caspian responded after a slight pause.

"Well said, Caspian," Aslan assured.

"We should go with them," Peter said. "When the How fell, some Narnians were trapped inside. We need to free them."

"Father…" Ava whispered before she swallowed hard. "Come, I will carry you all across."

The three kings and the Gentle Queen stepped forward and formed a line on either side of Ava and Lucy. Together they stepped up to the water and Ava swiftly carried them across the river. Once they all made it across they found themselves running through the woods; Lucy and Ava were still holding hands.

Once they reached the field before the How, the girls split up looking for wounded soldiers and when they found one Ava and Susan would call for Lucy and she would come and give the soldier a drop or two of her cordial. Susan would quickly move on to find the next soldier, but Ava lingered a while longer by the soldier's side holding their hand and smiling down at them until she could feel life flowing through them again.

Ava held the hand of many soldiers that day. Many of the Telmarines did not have the mind to question the odd antics of the young girl with the bright smile, but for the Narnians it was very different. Once Ava held their hand in hers, a Narnian was flooded with warm magic—much like how it had been when Ava first touched Destrier in the stables to calm him—and the Narnians knew that their beloved Naiad Princess had returned to them at last.

Meanwhile, the guys headed straight for the collapsed entrance of the How, and with the aid of the revived Narnians, they cleared the stones away. The main chamber was flooded with light from the setting sun. Their long shadows stretched across the earthen floor as Peter, Edmund, and Caspian stood at the opening and stared into the darkness. One by one, the trapped Narnians stepped forward into the light. They squinted as their eyes slowly adjusted to the sunlight, and they walked into freedom; Dr. Cornelius was among the many smiling faces.

XOXOX

That night there was a great bonfire around the river just outside Beruna. Aslan had called forth a great meal of all the foods that everyone loved most, and everyone ate until they were full. After the meal there was storytelling, and laughing, and dancing, and smiles on every face around the fire. And whenever one grew tired, they simply lay where they sat and drifted off to sleep, with their *feet to the fire and good friends on either side.*


Once more the little * indicates a direct quote, this time from the book Prince Caspian. Thanks again for all who have read/reviewed/favorited/alerted! It means so much to me! Hope you enjoyed!