Author's Note: Yes, it has been a really, really, really long time since I updated this story. For those of you who are still reading after all this time, thank you, you're amazing. For those of you who aren't, I don't blame you, and for my new readers, I promise to finish this fanfiction soon! Thanks for reading!

Part Ten: The Dryad's Song

Iva opened her eyes slowly, blinking madly at the light that shone brightly above her. She stretched out her arms, yawning wide. Had she fallen asleep? She didn't remember doing so. She looked around. Windflower and Kaspar were snoring softly. Rosemary was twitching her nose, still deep in sleep. Emma was nowhere to be seen. Great, Iva thought to herself. She's run off without me. But this didn't seem right. Why had she left the horses? Whatever Emma was – annoying, overly cheerful – she would not have just left everyone. Even Iva. No, something must have happened.

Iva stood and looked up at the sky. "Blimey, it must be noon!" she said aloud. "How long did we sleep?" She walked over to the stream, gazing into the clear depths of the water. "This water must be enchanted," she realized. A few days ago, she would have said that enchanted rivers were made up, but now she wasn't sure. She sighed, turning around. Where was she supposed to go now? What was she supposed to do? Emma was in charge of this rescue mission, not her. She was just along for the ride.

"Oh, fine!" she huffed. "I guess it's my turn to find you!" She went back to the sleeping animals, prodding Kaspar on the nose. The horse only sighed deeply and continued to sleep. "Of course you had to drink a gallon of the stuff. Now I have to walk!" Iva huffed again, turning on her heels and setting off across the grass. She paused at the edge of the creek. It was shallow enough to wade through, but not thin enough to jump over. "I suppose I'll have to get my feet wet." She tugged her shoes off and then her socks, setting them by the edge. She stuck a toe in the water, feeling an icy chill that was not at all unpleasant. She stuck her whole foot in and then the other. She felt as if her feet were in a layer of ice, only it didn't freeze her skin. It felt so refreshing that she wanted to stand there forever. She had to force herself to take a step forward and then another until she reached the opposite bank. When both feet were firmly on the ground again, she set off in the general southward direction.

The wind changed as she walked, gusting at her face and chilling her. As it blew, a faint noise came from somewhere ahead. She squinted into the distance, making out the dark outline of what looked like a forest. Eager to get out of the sun and the wind, Iva hurried to reach the shelter of the trees. As she reached the edge of the woods, she heard the sound again. It was a song, she realized. As sweet a song as she had ever heard. Taking a step forward, she placed a tremulous hand on the trunk of one of the trees. The bark was rough under her hand, like the skin of an old man. For a second, she thought she felt the bark under her hand move – ever so slightly. With a start, she jumped back, giving the tree a wide berth and entering the forest. It was as if she had passed through an energy force. Suddenly the air was alive – warm and vibrating with the tension of the singing. Iva opened her mouth, aghast, as leaves fluttered past her, taking the form of a woman. She felt a scream forming on her lips, but as the woman glided around her, she closed her mouth, feeling a sense of calm washing over her.

"Welcome, Iva. You have traveled far to join us. Please, come and join our dance," the tree woman spoke to her in a soft, wispy voice.

Iva stared at the tree. The tree had just talked to her. A tree had just talked. To her! Iva stumbled backward. "You, you, you…" she spluttered.

"Do not be afraid." The tree woman held out a hand. Well, it was just leaves, but it formed a hand. Iva felt more frightened than she ever had before. Well, perhaps not as frightened as when the wolves had been chasing her, but still.

"How can you talk? Trees don't talk," Iva said unbelievingly.

"You are in Narnia, child. All things are possible. We do not think it odd that we talk even though you do. Your world would be full of frightening and surprising things for a Narnian."

The tree's logic was right on. Iva nodded slowly. "I suppose so. After all, animals talk in Narnia, so why not trees?" She couldn't believe she was saying that. What would her parents say? They'd think she'd gone mad and send her off to a looney bin. "Alright," she deliberated after a moment. "I'll come dance with you." The tree smiled, turning to lead Iva further into the patch of trees. "I don't suppose you have any food," Iva added.

…

Emma lay back in the grass, a soft bed of leaves under her back. The singing of dryads filled the forest around her, melting her worries away even though the effects of the river had worn off. Somehow everything seemed suddenly possible. It felt as if they had already succeeded at their journey. Her thoughts were disturbed as she perceived the sounds of a voice – not the gentle timbre of the dryads but a human voice. She sat up and saw a girl approaching, walking next to a woman made of leaves. It was Iva.

"Iva, how did you find me?" she asked. Instead of feeling annoyed at the girl's presence, she felt relieved. It struck her now that she should not have left her companions.

"I followed you. You ran off without us!" Iva said indignantly.

"Sorry. You were all sleeping still."

"Yeah, the horses and rabbit are still fast asleep. At least they were when I left them. I didn't fancy dragging them by their tails."

Emma cracked a smile at this. "I don't think you would have made it far," she said, trying to keep a straight face while picturing Iva tugging two sleeping horses and a hare along by their tails.

"We can send a messenger to your friends to let them know that you are alright," one of the trees said. In a second she had left the form of a woman, swirling away into the distance like leaves caught in the wind.

"Where are we, anyway?" Iva asked. "Are we close to those mountains?"

"Which mountains do you speak of, child?" the dryad who had first found her asked.

"The Stormness Mountains," Emma elaborated.

The dryad's beautiful face darkened. "Do you know what lies within the mountains? Do you know what you seek?" she asked.

"No, I don't. I just know I'm looking for something that can save the king."

"The mountains have grown evil. A dark creature lives within," the dryad warned.

"But there's something good there too, isn't there. I've dreamt about it. I can feel it. Something that has been taken captive."

"Yes, you are right. Listen to our songs, and you will learn what it is you seek and what it is you must do." With that, the dryad swirled away, joining her companions. Emma and Iva sat down, listening as the dryads began their song.

Pure white as snow

And innocent as the stars

A creature of peace

A creature of love

It dwells in the mountains

The mountains of snow

It brings with it healing

It brings with it hope

Unbound by human

Unbound by land

This creature roams free

Untouched by hand

Then evil did come

Bind the white creature tight

And now it lies hidden

Out of hearing and sight

Only one can save it

Only one can set it free

And with this freedom

Comes a gift of new life

The song ended and Emma sat in awe. "What does it mean?" she asked. "I still don't understand what I must do."

"A creature of great power lies within the Stormness Mountains. It has the ability to give you what you seek."

"It can heal Caspian?"

"Yes."

"But what is it?" Emma asked.

"That you must find out for yourself. It can take many different forms, but it will come only to you."

"What must I do to set it free? Do you know?"

"Believe in yourself and stay true to those you care about. Show love and kindness in all things you do. Only then will it show itself to you. Only then will you know what to do."

"Alright. I think I can do it." Emma did not feel very reassured by the cryptic message, but she did feel a bravery stirring within her now that they were so close to the end of their journey.

"The mountains lie just to the south. Can you hear the thunder?" Now that they dryads had gone still and quiet, Emma could hear thunder rumbling to the south.

"Yes."

"That is where they lie. Be very wary. Your journey will be very dangerous from this point on."

"Well that's a load of comfort," Iva muttered under her breath.

"Thank you," Emma said to the dryad woman.

"Ah, look, your friends come."

Emma turned and saw two horses and a rabbit coming toward them. They looked rather disconcerted, and their saddles were missing, but Rosemary had draped the saddle bags with their supplies over the horses' backs.

"It is time for you to go," the dryad said to Emma. "Good luck and farewell." With a sudden gust of wind, she was gone, her arms once again becoming branches and her hair becoming leaves.