Disclaimer: Hello! And thanks for reading the fourth chapter of The Shifting Coin! Some of these characters/places are not mine obviously, but the rest of it was my idea. Actually, the whole thing with the tree was conceived by C.S. Lewis because in the Magicians Nephew, Aslan had said that the tree would die and a greater evil would come. Okay, anyway, please read and review both this and my other story because they will be joining really really soon, so you all can look foreword to that. :D
...Aslan sighed and said, ³This is where the hard part comes in Kaleigh. This evil comes from the world of men. You must remember that not all humans are bad and that some are of virtue, and people that you can trust. It is imperative that you learn this. But the people on their way are almost as bad as they can get. They are called, oh what¹s the word, ah yes... Pirates. Pirates are nothing that Narnia has ever seen. You have wars between yourselves, that is a natural action that you cannot help. But these men are different. Even in wars you have rules, to protect the innocent and so on. But these pirates live only by the rules they create, not the rules agreed upon by both sides. They view the world as something they can take by force to benefit only themselves. They now know of a way into your country, and will destroy and pillage everything. They will bring more men with them and destruction and death will reign. They will see your country as weak and unprotected and full of new life to bring back to their world to use as they please. Their arrival will bring about a chain of events that would be a death sentence to all who live here. And there is only one person to stop it.²
Kaleigh¹s stomach dropped as she suddenly understood, ³Me?² she asked.
When Aslan only replied with silence Kaleigh was shocked, ³It is me isn¹t it? How can I do anything? I, I don¹t have any means to protect the whole of Narnia! Why can¹t you tell all this to the Kings and Queens? I...I...I don¹t know how!² she stuttered.
At this Aslan smiled the kind of smile only with his eyes, ³Oh Kaleigh! Do you think that if you were the only person to do this that you would not have the means!? I am surprised at you! Think about it! I would not have chosen you if you could not do it.²
Kaleigh was still confused, ³But if I don¹t know the means I have then how am I supposed to do it? I don¹t think I am qualified and aren¹t I the one to know the best about that?²
Aslan seemed to have an unlimited amount of patience, ³Kaleigh, I have chosen you for this job and you will do this.²
³I won¹t even have a choice whether or not I will risk my life and the lives of others to save a whole country of people!?² Kaleigh pouted, ³If I have no choice then I quit! I want to be able to have a way out!²
Aslan laughed, ³Kaleigh I know you better than anyone else, even yourself, and I know that once you think this over you will decide to do it. You cannot possibly refuse, because you are not that kind of person. You always have a choice in things, but your strong conscience would be so troubled about letting a whole country down that you would immediately regret your decision.²
Kaleigh blushed as she thought this over, ³Yeah, I suppose so. I know that I¹ll do it, but I just don¹t know how, and I¹m afraid that I won¹t be able to. Can you just tell me how I¹m supposed to stop these pirates?²
³Ah yes, I was waiting for you to figure it out, or at least what will help you in this task.² He looked at her with a meaningful look as her eyes traveled down into her hand which was still tightly clasping the strange coin she had found on the beach.
³This??² she held up the coin, ³This will help me? How? Wait. Is it a weapon or something? Why did it burn then right before I came here?²
³Kaleigh, think of where you were at the time it was activated.² Aslan said.
³Well, I was standing in the forest by the lamppost I guess. Does it do something with the lamppost then?² Kaleigh puzzled.
Aslan nodded, ³Yes. That ancient coin is the very coin used to put the people of this court to sleep. It was lost and now it has been found at the time where it will be used once again. It does not do the same spell twice, so you will not use it to put everyone to sleep. But it has another purpose, to open the gateway between worlds. The Kings and Queens had gotten into Narnia by going through a wardrobe in the world of men. No Narnian can get into the wardrobe because it only works for those with human blood. But this coin was made for many species and will get you into the humans¹ world. All you have to do to activate it is to stand by the lamppost and face the direction North. Put the coin into a leather bag and shake it three times and it will start to burn like it did before. You will see the portal open up and you will need to step through it immediately or it will close. You will then be into the world of men. You are now standing at the entrance to the Narnian world seen from the human¹s side and that is where you will need to return when you want to come home. It is then your job to find the pirates and make sure that they don¹t find the portal or go through it. If that happens, then all will be lost and Narnia will cease to exist in the peace you have enjoyed thus far.²
Kaleigh grimaced and said, ³Will I be sick like the last time I activated the coin then? That wasn¹t a pleasant feeling.²
Aslan went on to explain, ³The reason that you had felt sick was that you were almost in the portal when I had pulled you here and the two forces pulling in different directions gave you a feeling of nausea. I had been gone too long with another matter and could not get here in time so I had to pull you out. I had wanted to explain to you your task and how to do it before you left. The sick feeling will not happen the next time you go through because you are being pulled in only one direction.²
Kaleigh nodded her head to show she understood, ³Okay then, is that all that I need to know?²
Aslan said yes, ³You are now equipped enough to handle most of the challenges that will come your way. Remember, you can trust some of the humans, and that when all hope fails, go toward the blackest night. Goodbye little she-centaur, I will miss you.²
³I¹ll miss you too Aslan. How will I get back to my own world then?² Kaleigh asked. Just as she spoke the words, the portal opened up in front of her. It wasn¹t like the last time she had traveled through the portal, which was because of ,Kaleigh guessed, Aslan had used his own special magic to get her there. Instead, a shimmery swirl of soft colors lit up the stone hallway. It danced and shifted right in front of her. As she stepped through it she felt a strange feeling, like she had just gone underwater. A bubble encased her and kept her dry while warm liquid seemed to flow around her. She looked back at Aslan for a last glance and he was smiling at her with his eyes. She heard Aslan speak to her as he said good luck, and she slipped into the shifting portal fully. She heard a splashing, watery sound as she tripped into her own world. It was like the bubble had burst and the liquid disappeared. She was back at the exact same spot where she had collapsed. It was completely dark now and she didn¹t know what time of the day it was. She galloped all the way home and finally arrived about a half hour later. Her dad wasn¹t home from his job yet, but her mother was pacing in front of the entrance to the glade, muttering to herself. When she saw Kaleigh trot up a brief glance of relief crossed her face. Then she turned angry.
³Kaleigh! Where have you been!? You were supposed to come home an hour and a half ago! You are SO lucky your father isn¹t home right now, otherwise you would be grounded till the day you died! You¹ve NEVER been this late, why all of a sudden do you disappear and not tell us where you went?² her mother exploded.
At this Kaleigh felt a little defensive, ³Mom! I was only an hour or so later than I normally am! Maybe I had somewhere important to be! No one else¹s mother gets upset over such a little thing! My friends are late all the time, and they don¹t get yelled at! Especially not for something as little as an hour! Jeez! Just settle down!²
Kaleigh¹s mom gathered herself up like an angry mother hen, ³Kaleigh! You are my only daughter! What am I supposed to think when you are late and it is getting steadily dark out? Huh!? What am I supposed to think!? What were you doing anyway?²
Kaleigh had a sudden feeling that she was to tell no one about the talk between her and Aslan. Suddenly, an idea came on to her, ³Mom, wait, you said that I had been gone an hour and a half? Only an hour and a half?²
Her mom glanced at her dubiously, ³Yeah. Didn¹t I just say that? What were you doing anyway?²
³I was just running in the woods. Ah, yeah, that¹s all. When I realized I went too far I turned back, but I would already be late.² Kaleigh replied, with a confused look on her face. But I had been with Aslan for over two hours, and it took me about an hour to get there and about a half hour to come back. That means, that while I was with Aslan, time here didn¹t pass.
Kaleigh apologized for being late, and her mother said she was sorry for yelling, but told Kaleigh not to be late again. After saying good-night to her mother, the tired centaur laid down in her soft bed of ferns and moss and fell asleep, thinking of the task ahead, and the world of humans...
P.S. this is serpentfairy, i'm posting the storys for Winthrop. I'm sorry about the numbers, i'm like overload on homework right now so i can't go through it and i wanted to get it up for her sorry winthrop!!!