Chapter 9

The walk to the beach was very calming and gave me time to think. Well, I mostly thought about Edmund and that totally unexpected kiss he had given me. I frankly don't know why, but that boy turns me into a nervous, blushing moron. I mean, I didn't like him, so I don't know why I got like that…Well, maybe I did like him. But, it's not definite. I need to sort out my feelings first. Confusion is not a very good feeling.

Anyways, Edmund wasn't the only thing on my mind. I also thought of what Josie and I were doing in Narnia. I mean, I know there was a reason. The Beavers kept slipping up and mentioning that stupid prophecy now and then, and honestly, it was driving me up the wall with curiosity. And I knew that the girls knew something, too; they just don't want to tell me.

"I wonder why we were called here," Josie asked. It was one morning, before we had any practice for horse riding, or sword fighting, and we were relaxing in the library.

There was a strange, inconspicuous look between the two queens. I barely noticed the look, but it was there. However, the only response we received was a shrug from Lucy and a "who knows" from Susan.

That wasn't helpful at all. I had a feeling the kings would be just as useless as their sisters, so I didn't even bother asking them.

Well, whatever the reason, I was glad to be here. Of course, I miss my mom and my sisters, and my other friends, but Narnia was so beautiful, peaceful, and simply magical.

The beach was one of a kind. I sat near the shore, staring out into the crystal blue waters and the cloudless blue sky. It was a wonderful Kodak moment. I brought my knees to my chest and hugged them. I just sat there for a while, staring into the water, smelling the salt water and feeling the soft breeze. I enjoyed just sitting there, admiring the ocean. Suddenly, a forceful wind passed by and knocked me backwards. I slowly stood up, and looked around. The light breeze was back and nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The only thing that wasn't there before was a small, violet butterfly. It flew out of nowhere; scaring me slightly, but then it started flying around me.

"Can you talk?" I felt sort of silly for talking to a butterfly, but this was Narnia. Most of the animals here were articulate. However, the small creature didn't answer my question. I just shrugged and started running around, trying to catch it. Catching butterflies was something me and my older sister, Mercedes, used to do when we were younger. It was a bit immature, but it brought back a lot of memories of my childhood. When the butterfly inched closer to the forest, I stopped. I remember what Mr. Beaver had told me about wild animals. The butterfly, though, returned and circled me a few times. It started to go towards the forest, again, and this time, I followed it. I don't really know what caused me to follow it this time, but I did anyways.

Going through the forest alone, without the beavers or Josie, was a lot more frightening. I didn't have a clue as to where I was going; I just kept following the butterfly. It almost felt forced, as if the little insect was pulling me behind it. Eventually, we ended up in a clearing, a small cabin placed to the side. The butterfly flew a few times around the small hut and I hesitantly walked inside. Around the room were a large amount of candles, all lit. The only furniture was a small table with a large black book placed on top. I walked towards the table, and opened the book to the page that was marked.

I scanned the page quickly. It was an Element spell. I softly whispered the words. "I am the Air that blows in the trees; I am the Water that swirls in the Sea. I am the Fire that gives us light; I am the Earth, one too strong to fight. Elements gather in this sacred place, around the fifth which has no face. Bring me your honor, bring me your grace. Come now, I call you, come now in haste."

I looked up from the page and looked around. Nothing happened. I flipped the page in the book and there were a large amount of different spells. I slowly closed the book. I glanced around again. I had an eerie feeling. I shivered suddenly as something cold touched my neck. I turned around and, fortunately, didn't see anything behind me. I sighed in relief, and just as the air passed my mouth the fire lighting the candles extinguished. The cabin was dark, only a bit of sunlight filtering through the trees and the wood. I spotted the door and ran out of the cabin and towards the beach. I ran for a couple of minutes until I reached the beach.

My heart was pounding heavily and I took small shuddering breaths to keep myself composed.

"What the hell just happened?" I whispered to myself. I sighed deeply again, and right before my eyes, a wave went. Yes, it didn't come, it went. It went in the opposite direction it was supposed to go. Holy shit.

I thought about what could've caused this. Well, when I sighed the candles went out and when I sighed again, the wave went backwards. The only thing that popped into my mind was that spell I read. The Element Spell—Earth, Air, Fire, Water. But, that's ridiculous. I mean, there is no freaking way that the words worked. Then again, this is Narnia. Abnormal things happen here, so it might not be so crazy that the spell worked.

I ran towards the castle. I needed to tell someone what just happened. I felt like a child who just did something wrong. I was aware of how utterly stupid I had been. Normally, I'm not quite as dense and foolish as I had been. I had no idea what was going on.

I ran into the castle, panting and my legs were starting to burn. I ran into the sitting room, and luckily Lucy and Susan were there. I vaguely wondered where Josie was, but I had bigger problems.

"I'm freaking out, guys! Freaking out!" I exclaimed. Susan looked up curiously from the book she was reading and Lucy was staring at me with huge, deer-in-the-headlights eyes.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Lucy asked.

"I, uh…I did something bad. Or, at least, I think it's bad," I said awkwardly. Crap, how was I supposed to explain myself? Oh, I found this cabin in the forest because I was chasing a freaking butterfly. Oh, and then there was this book there and I read a spell out loud and now I can do stuff with air, and possibly, with fire, earth, and water, too.

Yeah, that was bound to go smoothly.

"What did you do?" Susan asked, shutting her book and making space for me on the couch. I sat down, the butterflies in my belly turning into knots. Well, now I hate butterflies, so, let's go with moths. Yeah, the moths in my belly turned into knots.

"Well, I was at the beach and then there was this butterfly there. And I followed it into the forest, because it kind of felt like I was under a spell or something—"

"Wait, you followed a butterfly into the forest?" Lucy asked.

"I was stupid, moving on. There was a cabin there. And I, being the nosy parker I am, went inside. Uh, there was a book. And I, uh, read a sort of spell out of it. And now I think I have powers."

Lucy and Susan just stared at me for a couple of moments. They blinked twice.

"Uh, what exactly did the spell say?" Susan asked me, still barely blinking.

"I don't remember it exactly, but it was aboutcontrolling the elements. You know, earth, air, fire, and water."

"Oh, well, just because you read it, doesn't mean you actually have those powers," Lucy said.

"Yeah, about that. See, there were lit candles in the cabin, and I sighed, and the fire went out," I said, smiling guiltily.

I could tell Susan was trying very hard at not getting angry. She sighed twice, trying to compose herself.

"Alright. Don't worry. We'll figure this out, somehow. Lucy, go call the Beavers. We need to discuss this." I was confused as to why she was calling the Beavers, but I didn't say anything.

She looked at me in a condescending manner. "Jennifer—"

"Yes, I know, Susan. I was insanely stupid. I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have…I'm scared."

She sighed and put her arm around me, comfortingly. "It's alright. We'll figure something out. I mean, this is unexpected and complicates things a bit, but at the same time maybe not." I wondered briefly how this was not going to complicate things. "I'm sorry I seem mad. It's just that I have a lot on my mind. I mean, King Abaddon and Queen Eris and Princess Kali of Lamia are coming to visit the castle, and I have to plan a ball, while looking after Lucy, Edmund, Peter, even if he is the eldest, Josie and you! Not only that, but—"

"Susan! Calm down, okay? Take a deep breath. Alright, now what's all this about this king and a ball or whatever?"

"Well, the Royal Family of Lamia is coming. Lamia is a nearby country, and Narnia and it haven't always been on best terms. However, the queen was unable to produce an heir, only a daughter, so they're coming to visit, hoping either Edmund or Peter, agrees to marry her. They've been planning this for months now. I have to throw a ball to officially welcome them to Narnia," Susan said. So, that girl's parents want to marry her off? Well, that doesn't seem fair.

Eventually, the Beavers showed up, Lucy in tow.

"Alright, can someone please tell us what's going on? I was in the middles of my bath," Mr. Beaver said. Everyone stared up at me, expectantly.

I explained everything that happened to the beavers.

"Well, it looks like evil is closer than we thought," Mrs. Beaver said.

"Why do you say that?" Lucy asked him.

"Because it seems that Lady Jennifer here was under a spell, most likely an evil one."

"Evil?" I questioned. That didn't sound too fun.

"Yes, what did you think you were in Narnia for? To go chasing butterflies into the forest? Whenever a Son of Adam or Daughter of Eve is brought into Narnia, it's because Narnia needs help, someone to fight for it. Help from what is the question, though," Mr. Beaver said. I shook my head fervently.

"And you think that's the reason Josie and I came to Narnia? Well, newsflash! I'm a coward and Josie is a pacifist. Is that why I'm being trained? Does this have to do with that stupid prophecy? You guys knew this! You knew that I had to fight. Well, you know what? That prophecy is wrong. I'm not going to do it—I'm not going to fight an army." Hell to the no.

"Not even if that army is not an army?" Mr. Beaver asked.

"What the hell are you talking about?" I asked. God, this is getting way too complicated for me.

"Nothing, my Lady. You'll find out soon enough," Mrs. Beaver said. Didn't she get the point? I don't want to fight anything. I'm not going to fight anything.

The Beavers talked to Susan and Lucy alone; I didn't get to hear anything of their conversation. Unlike me, these people really knew how to whisper.

I managed to calm down after a while and Lucy sat next to me. Susan left along with the little critters.

"You know, when we first came to Narnia four years ago, I didn't want to fight either. And I had to. I was only ten. I was so much younger than you, and I thought the same way you did. But things happened that forced me to fight," she said.

"Well, what going to happen to me? What's going to force me to fight?"

"You'll find out eventually. I wish I can tell you, but I'm not even entirely sure of what's going to happen."

"I'm sorry I sort of freaked out earlier. And, if you don't mind me asking, what things forced you to fight?" I asked her.

"Well, that's a story for another time." She got up to leave, probably to help Susan do whatever Susan was doing.

"Lucy? What's going to happen to me? You know, concerning all these powers?" I asked her.

"Well, we decided that Joplin can help you with those."

I left soon after Lucy did. I didn't really feel up to anything at that moment, or for the rest of the day. I was staring down at the floor, not paying attention to where I was going. I suddenly crashed into a warm chest. I looked up and found myself face to face with Edmund.

Déjà vu, much?

"We really need to stop meeting up like this," he said, a warm smile gracing his lips.

"Yeah," I said, trying to smile, although it probably looked more like a grimace.

"Actually, it's not so bad that I bumped into you. Peter and I were just about to go horse riding," he exclaimed, smiling broadly.

"Oh, right, well, I really don't feel up to it right now." His smile shrunk and he looked slightly disappointed.

"Well, why not?"

"Um, something happened and I just, I don't feel very well. I'm sorry," I told him.

"Well do you want me to call a doctor for you? I don't mind—"

"No, no. It's just, I feel sort of emotionally drained and exhausted. Don't worry about me. Go and have fun with Peter." I smiled at him.

He smiled back and leaned down and placed a kiss on my cheek. I came to a sudden, blissful realization that Edmund was going to keep doing that. At least one good thing came out of today.

Edmund.

Wow, so this is my longest chapter. It's five pages on Word. I know some people write longer chapters than this, but I'm not really good at long chapters. A lot of important things happen in this chapter and now is when the story really starts to get into the whole plot and stuff. I hope you guys liked it and please please please please don't forget to REVIEW! :) I love it when you guys do, it inspires me to keep on writing chapters because I know that people like it and keep reading it. Did you guys know that this is the closest I've ever gotten to finishing a multi-chapter story? I usually never get this close and I really want to finish this story. So, :D Oh, I'm going to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter (the amusement park)! EEEEPPP! I'm so excited.

Please review.