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Chapter 12—Susan's point of view
"I did not erupt, you impossible little..." Whatever Calypso was going to say, she bit it back. Leo laughed at her exasperation.
"Alright, fine, but you were glowing like a supernova, it was that bright."
"Why did that happen?" asked Frank. We were gathered by the stream where the Narnians had pitched a tent for us to relax. We were listening to Leo recount how he programmed Festus to give him medicine that brought him back to life, and how an explosion ("I had no part in that either, Susie Penny!") sent the two of them back to Ogygia. Before Narnia, I would have thought he was retelling a dream. Now, though, I found myself believing rather than dismissing it as nonsense.
I was sitting on a cot that was halfway in the tent, with Piper perched behind me as she braided my hair with flowers. She had already finished Lucy's hair, so Lucy was with Annabeth by the bank as Percy floated in the water, dry as a bone. Jason was perched in a tree, Leo and Calypso nestled at its roots. Frank and Hazel were standing next to me at the entrance of the tent. Calypso turned her head to answer the Canadian.
"The illumination was my immortality draining from me. If you can imagine yourself completely exhausted after..." then she hesitated, seeming to realize what she was saying. "Of course you don't have to imagine that, but what I felt was probably ten times more tiring."
"You fainted immediately," Leo added, then when Calypso glared at him he rushed to say, "And then you popped right back up as if you could run the Boston Marathon!" Calypso frowned.
"I don't know what that is."
"It's alright, dear, neither do I," I reassured her. And because I was dying to bring it up since the thought occurred to me, continued with "Likewise do I not understand how the articles in Piper's bag didn't get ruined by the river." Piper paused in her work and glanced at the bag in question, confused. Then she slapped her hand to her forehead and looked at the sky.
"Seriously, Mom? That's what you meant by mandatory apology gifts?!" she shouted at the clear blue above us. I glanced up quite nervously.
"Is she actually listening?" I inquired.
"Probably not," Piper admitted, getting back to work on my hair, "But it's a habit that all demigods get, and it's kind of hard to break." She shook her head in exasperation. "I can't believe she would actually charm my bag, though."
"So, what, does that mean it can't get ruined?" Jason questioned. Piper just made a face gestured with her hands, implying that his guess was as good as hers.
"Why was the apology mandatory?" Lucy asked.
"It wasn't," corrected Piper, "She just had an I-should-pity-my-children moment after the war and apparently decided that enchanted accessories would make us love her."
"Did it?" I prompted. Piper scoffed, which obviously meant no. She gave my hair and final tug and told me she was done. I took the mirror she grabbed out of her bag and handed to me. I gave her a gratified smile. "This is simply marvelous!"
"Lemme see!" Percy cried out. I laughed as I made my way to the bank.
"Exactly how old are you again?" I teased him.
"Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don't mind, it doesn't matter," he replied. Annabeth was shocked.
"Did you just quote Mark Twain, Seaweed Brain?" He looked at her confused.
"Wait, so that wasn't Einstein?" Everyone but Calypso, Leo, my sister and myself groaned. Piper realized that Leo was among the confused and raised her eyebrow at him.
"What, I've been in his position before. Who am I to judge," the Latino defended. Percy nodded his head in acknowledgment and turned to look at me. "Now you definitely look like my mom." I smiled shyly. Hearing about this future daughter of mine filled me with a nervous thrill. Lucy gasped when she heard that.
"That means that your Mum looks like our Mum since I think Susan looks like her!" she exclaimed. Percy and Annabeth looked at me with amazement. I smiled at the thought and looked at my reflection in the water.
"Mum wouldn't have had a dress like this since before the war," I said to no one in particular.
"We should bring her one back," suggested my sister, "A whole trunkful!"
"And some for my mom, while we're at it," Percy added. My smile grew, but then sour thoughts clouded my mind.
"If we ever get back." Silence followed my small statement. I glanced at everyone quickly and saw that they all had similar expressions. Lucy looked sad, and the demigods had grown serious. No, I thought, We're all too young for such seriousness. "I'm sorry I'm like that," I apologized to them. They said nothing but I continued on and addressed Lucy. "We used to have fun together, didn't we?"
"Yes," she replied, and a smile grew on her face and she exclaimed, "Before you got boring!" She began to giggle, especially after Percy sarcastically asked how we could be related if I was boring.
"The answer's quite simple," I said rather deviously, before stepping into the stream and splashing Lucy. Unfortunately for me, I had managed to get Annabeth as well, who began to exact revenge, and soon all ten of us were in a water battle royal. Lucy and I were the first to make a break for the bank. I had reached the tree Jason was previously in to get a towel that was hung on a low branch. When I pulled it down, a wolf revealed himself from behind it, snarling at me. Lucy and I screeched, and I heard the others draw their weapons behind me.
"Please don't try to run," the wolf said as he advanced towards me. It was the leader of the pack from the river. "We're tired."
"And we prefer to kill you quickly," another wolf that appeared added. Then both their eyes widen in shock and they backed off. I didn't dare turn around, but I heard snarling. Taking this as my chance, I hurled my towel at the leader and dashed over to the tent. I tried to block out the shouts and fighting as I grabbed my horn from the cot and blew. I was only able to blow three times before a third wolf charged at me. I screamed and ducked, running as fast as my legs could carry me. Suddenly arms took hold of me and lifted me into the air, placing me next to Lucy in the tree.
"Stay here, there's too many of them, " Jason instructed before jumping to the ground. Too many of them? I looked around and saw that he was right. Thrice as many from the river were there, and to my horror, there was also a bear as big as Aslan. I panicked when I realized Frank was missing, but then I remembered Frank could turn into animals. My fears were relieved when I saw the bear fighting the wolves, but my attention was drawn to two of them that decided my legs were low enough to attempt to bite them. I couldn't gain any height from where Jason left me, so I was stuck just hanging on and holding my feet up.
"Get back!" I heard my brother cry out. I briefly glanced to see Peter scrimmage around the fighting (I screeched at a quick glance of Percy nearly getting bitten) towards the tree. His blade was drawn and aimed for the leader and his friend. They left my legs alone and turned towards him.
"Come on!" the leader complained as the other snarled in displeasure. "We've already been through this before. We both know you haven't got it in you!"
"Peter, watch out!" I screamed when the other one starting advancing too closely. But before the brute could lunge, Aslan's paw pinned him to the ground. A yelp from the river sounded, and I looked over to see Hazel withdraw her sword from the wolf she just killed. Only the first two were still alive. Oreius was about to finish off the leader when Aslan stopped him.
"No, stay your weapons. This is Peter's battle." Oreius and his troop relented, and everyone turned to watch.
"You may think you're a king," the wolf taunted as he circled my brother, "But you're going to die," he crouched low to the ground, and then lunged as he shouted, "LIKE A DOG!" He snarled and landed on top of Peter, knocking him to the ground.
"PETER!" Lucy and I screamed. We jumped from the tree and ran to him, Percy joining us as we pushed the brute's carcass off. Peter immediately sat up when the dead weight was removed, his expression one of shock. Then it turned to relief as he hugged my sister and I. I heard Percy give a sigh and peeked over Peter's shoulder to see him kneeling, his head bowed over clasped hands. I couldn't tell if he was praying or not. Aslan released the remaining wolf, who fled in a fit of pain and panic.
"After him," The Great Lion commanded to Oreius, "He'll lead you to Edmund and the Sons of Olympus." Oreius nodded, and as a unit the soldiers left. Peter let Lucy and I go, and leaned over to Percy, putting his hand on my future grandson's shoulder. Percy looked at him and took a breath.
"You know, you're actually kind of lucky," he said. My siblings and I looked at him in confusion. "At least your first battle wasn't at age twelve with no weapons against a Minotaur."
"You did WHAT?" I screeched. Percy realized his mistake and decided to worm his way out of more grounding using the Lucy Pevensie method; He gave me a pouty face. I huffed but relented, and Percy smiled. Frank returned to his human form and gave Aslan a concerned look.
"Do they know about Mike?" he asked. Aslan nodded, then turned to my brother.
"Peter, clean your sword," he instructed. Peter wiped his blade on the grass. "Kneel," Aslan continued on. When Peter did as told Aslan put his paw on his shoulder and rubbed his mane on both sides of his head. When he let Peter go he said, "Arise, Sir Peter Wolfsbane, Knight of Narnia." Peter stood up in surprised joy and looked at us all in excitement. Everyone was in smiles, proud of what Peter has become. Eventually, Peter and Percy locked eyes, and a silent conversation passed between them. They grew a little serious with a determined look in their eyes. What are those two up to? I couldn't help but wonder.
Shout-outs to:
NinjaFang1331, CloudedPen7, crazyreader12, kdp and Lilyqz for your suggestions
ww1990ww and limegreenarcher for your beautiful curious minds
And especially to Naomi-lou for reading and reviewing a story that I'm guessing isn't in your first language (if I'm wrong I sincerely apologize), and for also making me wonder if I should translate the story so others can read it to. What do you guys think?
Internet cookies galore! (::)(~)(::)(~)(::)(~)(::)(~)(::)(~)(::)(~)(::)(~)(::)(~)(::)(~)(::)(~)(::)(~)(::)(~)(::)(~)(::)(~)(::)(~)(::)(~)(::)(~)(::)(~)(::)(~)
Please R&R, and vote for the next POV. Next chapter is the Witch's camp, so your options are Will or Nico (or Mike if you really, really want).
Lot's of Love
~Navy