Eternal Duty

by renandli

Begins in the Golden Age of Narnia, Edmund is required to marry a stranger. He knows he should do his duty, help protect his country from a new threat but how can a man who never dated choose a wife? Danger lurks outside the borders of Narnia, magic and warfare attack the peaceful nation. Multi-book, over arching story. mix of books and movies

36. Chapter 36

The sky ripped open, pouring gallons of rain upon the bent heads of the Kings and Queens of old Narnia. Trumpkin led the party forward, the five miles he had promised before reaching Aslan's How had morphed into a muddy bog to slosh through. On a clear day, the trip would have taken less than two hours, but in this weather they had covered less than half the distance in that time.

Lucy falling again, caked in slick mud, she demanded a break, yelling above the sound of the storm before walking off the path. They all saw it was no use pushing the eleven-year-old any harder. Susan found a rocky ledge big enough for them all to take shelter under. The Pevensies huddled together with Trumpkin, Edmund offering his tapestry to Lucy and Susan since they all agreed that lighting a fire was not a good idea or even possible. Five minutes of dreary silence passed before Peter announced he was heading back out to scout in the rain.

The ground was firmer between the trees, sticks and leaves making a lattice over the wet. The muck and mire did not bother the High King as much as the others, the advantage of being the tallest and strongest of the party. In truth, the sting of the previous day, of his folly, weighed on his mind. Peter wanted a better look around to make sure he was not leading his siblings the wrong way again. If only he had seen Aslan with his own eyes, Peter knew his heart would be lifted.

Peter made sure to keep the rocky outcrop that protected his family in sight as he checked the forest for paths or signs of recent travel. Secretly, the High King had wondered that the group had not met any sentries on their walk. Five miles. Cair Paravel had sentries radiating out from the castle for twenty miles. The lack of lookouts made Peter's stomach lurch.

Could it be they were too late? Maybe Caspian had already fallen, or they had to leave Aslan's How for safer quarters?

Worry etched his young brow as Peter looked up at the trees, thinking he would scale one to gain a better view of the area.

A twig snapping behind him was his only warning.