Chapter 33
Lucy sat up and rubbed her eyes. It was now night and she judged that they had been asleep for many hours. The breeze she had felt earlier was still blowing and a bright moonlight illuminated the wood, touching everything with silver. She looked over at her companion and noted approvingly that Jo's waxy pallor had been replaced by a healthier flush. Lucy had been quite right when she guessed that Jo had not been sleeping properly. She had been carrying around a large burden of anger, which had grown almost daily, as she clung to her imagined slights and her resentment against Lucy and her siblings. Night times had seen Jo tossing restlessly, anxiety and tension robbing her of the sleep she needed. Her acknowledgment of her behaviour to Lucy seemed to have suddenly dissolved much of it and she now slept peacefully.
Lucy stretched with a muffled "Ow" and stood up carefully, so as not to wake her companion. She was stiff and a little sore from sleeping on the ground and was beginning to realise that she was also terribly thirsty. She glanced at Jo again and judged that she probably wouldn't awaken for some time. she thought. I'll just chance it,I won't go very far, but I simply must find a stream or something, I'm just so thirsty.
Treading softly, she made her way through a break in the trees and saw to her relief that there was a small stream quite close by. Lucy knelt down and cupped her hands in the water and drank deeply. The cool water refreshed and revived her, and she stood up again. She was tempted to explore further but prudence suggested it would be more sensible to return to Jo and wait for her to wake up. She turned around to return to the clearing and a small cry of surprise broke from her!
"Aslan!" cried Lucy, almost sobbing for joy, as she flung herself at the feet of the great Lion. He stood before her in the clearing, the slender silver birches bowing in homage at his presence. Aslan lowered his head as Lucy buried her face in his soft golden mane. "Beloved Child", he said in a deep voice. Behind him a drowsy Jo rubbed her eyes and gazed in astonishment and awe. Nothing Lucy had said could have prepared her for the sight of Aslan, who was far bigger and far more fearsome than she had expected. She found herself hoping that he would not turn around and see her, yet perversely, she almost wished he would. She shrank back against the trunk of a tree and kept very still.
"Where is the other Daughter of Eve?" said Aslan, when Lucy's first raptures were over. "She is over there Aslan, we were asleep under the tree", replied Lucy, pointing to the spot. Aslan turned around and padded softly over to Jo, who let out a small shriek, covered her face with her hands and waited in terror to be eaten alive. There was a small silence, which was broken by an irrepressible chuckle from Lucy. Jo took her hands away from her face and found herself looking deep into the eyes of Aslan.
Whatever she had expected to see it was not this. The great golden eyes looking into hers were filled with sorrow. Jo knew somehow that Aslan understood everything, about what had happened between Lucy and herself and all the doings back there, in the "real" world. She looked away in shame. "How do I tell him how sorry I am?" she wondered. "Maybe it's too late to fix the mess I've made." "It is never too late," answered a deep voice. Looking back up at Aslan, Jo saw that he seemed to be smiling. "Did you know what I was thinking?" she asked. "I know all, child," replied the lion gently. "You have caused many hurts in your world, but it is not too late to mend them. But first," and now he beckoned Lucy closer as well, "there is a task for both of you here. Tell me, have you made your peace with one another?" Lucy and Jo looked at one another. Had they?
"Of course we have," said Lucy, grinning. "Haven't we Jo?" She pulled the silliest face she could manage, and Jo burst out laughing. "I suppose we have," she said. "I'll have to get used to being friends with you now." "That is well," said the deep voice that Lucy had grown to love. "You have a long journey ahead of you and you will only succeed in the task I lay on you if you can work together."
"Aren't you going to send us home?" blurted out Jo, much startled. "No, my child," said Aslan gravely. "You are needed in Narnia now. A great evil threatens the line of Adam at Cair Paravel. You must hurry, else all will be lost."
"What do you mean?" cried Lucy. "Many years have passed since you and your brothers and sister sat on the throne at Cair Paravel," replied the lion. "A new king, also from your world, was crowned. He married one of the wood nymphs and one of their sons now sits on the throne. But a great evil threatens his family and his reign. You must go now to Cair Paravel and aid them."
"Do you want us to fight in a battle?" interrupted Lucy. "No dear one," said Aslan gravely. "You must protect the young princess, the king's daughter. She is his only child. You must take her to a place of safety, for she is in deadly peril. She has a great gift that must be guarded. Take great care, for you will not know who it is safe to trust." "But how will we get there?" asked Jo, again wondering if she was dreaming all of this. "I will send you," replied the lion. "Be watchful and trust one another."
These last words sounded faintly in Jo's ears and she realised with a shock that she and Lucy were no longer in the wood. The air around them shimmered faintly as the scenery around them changed swiftly. "Are we flying?" wondered Jo aloud. "I don't know," replied Lucy, "but I'm feeling a little queasy – everything is moving so quickly!" "Hold onto me," said Jo. "Maybe if we shut our eyes for a little while, the sensation will pass." The two girls grabbed held hands and closed their eyes.