Hope on the Wind

1

Jason and Maggie came into what appeared to be a throne room to find their daughter, a strange girl and Mimasu huddled over a map etched in a table.

"Show me the battlefront." The girl asked

Jason blinked in surprise. Annie had merely waved her hand across the map and the lines had redrawn themselves. She looked up and caught his eye. "Daddy, we don't have much time, and there is just way too much to explain right now. It's very important that you not doubt anything I'm about to say." He nodded, dumbstruck as Maggie grabbed his arm.

"Mom, Dad, Narnia WAS real. Mimasu is Queen Susan." Maggie's grip tightened on his arm. "This is her sister Lucy." Lucy turned and nodded, never losing the serious expression she wore from studying the map. "I got lost between worlds and then I accidentally created one, now that world is in deep trouble, and it is my responsibility to guide it out. We," and her arms encompassed Lucy and Susan, "are going there VERY shortly. If you wish to go, I'll have more time to explain once we are there. If not, I will explain when we get back."

"If we get back." Lucy added. She'd just watched one of the defending battle lines collapse on the map. "Every moment in this world is hours in the other Annie. You're running out of time."

"If? Swords?" Jason managed to mumble. His little girl was charging off into danger involving swords.

"And Quarterstaves?" Maggie added staring at the pile of weapons.

"It is still a young world." Annie answered

"Young lady," He shook his head. Wrong approach. "Annie, are you sure you have to go?"

"I'm responsible. Like when I broke the china server. Whatever happens, I share the fate of that world, I can't run or hide from this. I wish we had time here to explain more, but we don't."

"I'm your father, If I can't stop you, and I can't talk you out of going, then there's no way I'm going to wait here and wonder what became of my little girl." He reached out and grabbed the big two-handed sword and after a knowing look, passed the quarterstaff over to Maggie.

"There's one more thing I have to do!" Annie chimed.

"Hurry! They're wavering." From Lucy.

Annie ran to the other end of the hall, sweeping up the bow and quiver of arrows, the horn, dagger and flask, and the sword and shield. She closed her eyes. A bright glow spread from her to each of the items and they subtly changed. She handed the bow, quiver and horn to Susan.

"It can't be! These were lost with Narnia."

"But they are the real thing." Lucy said, taking her flask with the healing cordial and the small dagger.

"Jason, It would be a great honor if you would carry High King Peter's sword and shield." Susan said, handing them to him. He took them from her, somewhat dumbfounded.

2

"Grab what you can carry and hold hands!" Annie closed her eyes and concentrated on the glade beyond the castle. A breeze entered the room and spun around them. Jason blinked and when his eyes opened, he was standing in a small clearing amongst a copse of trees.

"Susan, please sound your horn."

"Is it safe?"

Annie glanced at the table that had transferred with them. The map had stopped shifting now that they were moving in time with Mimasu. "Yes, for the moment."

Susan put the horn to her lips and blew. As it sounded, Jason noticed that she was getting younger, she de-aged past his earliest memories of her, becoming once again the young vibrant Queen she had once been in Narnia.

"Annie, it's been fun being nine again, but I think for this, it would better serve you for me to be older." Jason blinked again, and instead of the near twin to his daughter, there stood a striking young lady with long golden hair wearing flowing royal robes. Lucy leaned into the pile and selected armor and a broadsword for herself. "Maggie, Susan says you have some experience with armor, would you assist me?"

As the horn's cry faded into nothing, there was a commotion at the edge of the clearing as two young men charged out of the woods.

"Susan!" The eldest cried. "I never ever expected to hear that sound again!"

"Peter! Edmund!" She looked back at Annie. "How's our time?"

"Now that we're here and moving apace, we have a little."

Susan threw herself into a huge round of hugs with her siblings. She then made introductions around the circle. When she introduced Peter to Jason, Jason handed over the Sword and Shield. "I've been told that these belong to you."

Annie touched his elbow and smiled.

As each of the Narnian Royals was introduced to Annie, they knelt before her and paid homage. Peter spoke for the group. "Aslan, told us of your gift, Magic. We are all honored to meet you and doubly honored to call you kin."

As they all began suiting up in the armor and weaponry Susan had provided, Lucy, who was already finished, proceeded to fill everyone in on what had transpired since she and Edmund had gone searching for the lost child. As she was finishing a party of horses galloped into the clearing.

3

"A horn, we heard a horn." One of the horses said.

"We ride to battle?" another tossed in.

Peter stood. Looking around the group he held each persons eyes for a moment. "My Kin, there is much about this world that is similar to our Narnia. Queen Susan has pledged the realm to Annie's assistance. Annie rides to the defence of her world as we and Aslan rode for Narnia. I ride with Annie! Do you ride with me?"

With their assembled agreement, Peter turned and knelt before Annie once again.

"Annie, Aslan also sends a gift." Peter reached inside his jerkin and produced a brilliant scarlet flag on which was the blinding white image of a young girl. Edmund asked one of the tree's for a staff which was willingly donated by the resident dryad. As the wind unfurled the banner for the first time, the image of the girl appeared on their armor and even on Peter's shield, although the scarlet image of the Lion remained there in outline.

Annie walked over to her parents. While she carried a quiver and bow, unstrung on her back, she had not donned any armor. Instead, she wore a simple white knee length dress, white knee socks with black shoes, her blond hair had been pulled back into a pony tail tied with a white ribbon. But for the quiver on her back, and the expression on her face, she looked like an innocent little girl.

"Everything Lucy said, it's all true?" Her mother asked.

"And more, I promise I'll explain it all once we've reached the castle and assessed the situation. But I wanted ask if you and Dad are okay?"

"It's a shock, Magic. I'm still not sure if this is a dream or real." Jason answered. Jason was taken aback by how mature Annie now seemed. She still looked nine, but she carried herself with the stoic confidence of a warrior.

"Shall I pinch you nephew?" Lucy had walked up behind Jason and Maggie.

"That won't be necessary, Lu." The stoic exterior cracked and Annie smiled. Jason felt better realizing that his little girl was still within this child-warrior-god.

"Susan was telling us about the Renaissance Faires this morning when Annie was called. Remember, this is for real, all of our lives and especially Annie's could depend on the skills we each possess. Don't swing to miss, the other side won't. Edmund and I have spoken, and if you wish to spar when we arrive at the Castle, we are at your service."

They loaded their gear and mounted the Horses.

"I haven't felt this alive since we hunted the white stag!" Susan exclaimed. She now wore leather armor with her bow strung and hung with her quiver across her back and the horn draped on her right hip.

Peter handed the banner to Jason who was riding on Annie's right. Jason felt something electric in his spine as he grasped the staff and solemnly clasped Peter's hand. "Nephew, if it is within our power to protect your Daughter and save her world, it shall be so. My life for Annie and Aslan!"

Then, as Peter took up position on her left, Annie lead the way to the Castle, her parents and the Kings and Queens of Narnia riding as escort.