After their second summer with Professor Kirke, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy were back to the train station, ready to go off to school. Over the past two summers, Peter had cheered up after the trip back from Narnia, but he still wasn't quite the same. To Edmund, it was like a big part of him was missing, and he knew that part was Elizabeth. So that four sat, waiting for the train, when Lucy gave a sharp cry.
"What's up, Lu?" Asked Edmund. But then he broke off and made a noise similar to Lucy's. "What on earth..." began Peter.
"Susan, I say, stop it."
"I'm not touching you," protested Susan. "Something is pulling me. Oh, oh! Stop it!" Everyone looked at each other's white faces.
"Look sharp," shouted Edmund. "This is magic, I can tell by the feeling. Everyone lock hands and keep together." The next moment, the luggage, the platform, the station had completely vanished. The four children, holding hands, found themselves standing in the middle of a wodded place.
"Oh Peter, do you think we could be back in Narnia?" Lucy asked her older brother, her hands clasped together in hope.
"It might be anywhere," he answered truthfully. "I can't see a yard in all these trees. Let's try and get into the open, if there is one." With some difficulty, they stumbled out of the thicket and found themselves at the edge of the wood. A few meters away, a calm sea was washing up on a snady beach, making no sound at all. They all stood smelling the sea air.
"By Jove," said Peter. "This is good enough."
Minutes later, they were all barefoot and wading in the ocean. A little later, the sensible Susan had mentioned the obvious; they should begin to make plans. They found that they had only two lunches among the four of them. After a fair bit of exploring, the four children found that they were indeed on an island, and that they couldn't get to the wood on the other side of the water.
"Oh bother!" Said Edmund, getting quite cranky.
It was decided, after they had eaten their sandwiches, that the four should go into the woods and explore. "If hermits and Knights-errant can live off of berries and things, I'm sure we can as well." Edmund had pointed out.
Susan was against the idea, but Peter intervened. "Come on. Ed is right. We must try to do something, and it'll be better then going out into the sun again." So they all got up and began to follow the stream. It was a great deal harder then they had expected, and they were beginning to get tried when they noticed a delicious smell.
"I say," said Lucy. "I do believe that's an apple tree." It was. They made their way through brambles and up a steep slope and found themselves standing round an old tree that was heavy with golden apples as firm and juicy as you could wish to see.
"This isn't the only tree," said Edmund with his mouth full of apple. "Look here...and there!"
"Why, there are dozens of them," Susan spied, throwing away the core from her first apple, and picking her second. "This must have been an orchard. Long, long ago, before the wood grew up and went wild."
"Then this was once an inhabited island," Peter pointed out.
"And what's that," asked Lucy, pointed ahead. "By Jove, it's a wall. An old stone wall." Peter told her.
"This wasn't a garden," said Susan. "It was a castle, and this must have been a courtyard."
"I see what you mean," said Peter. "Yes, that is the remains of a tower. And there is what used to be a flight of stairs going up to the top of the walls. And look at those other steps, the broad, shallow ones, going up to that doorway. It must have been the door into the great hall."
"Ages ago, by the looks of it," said Edmund. "Yes, ages ao. I wish we could find out who the people were that lived in this castle, and how long ago."
"It give me a queer feeling," said Lucy after a moment. "Does it, Lu?" Peter turned and looked hard at her. "Because it gives me the same feeling. I wonder where we are, and what it all means?"
While they were talking, they had walked through the door and into what had once been the hall and Peter began to get excited.
"Don't you see? That there was where the High table was, where the King and his great Lords sat."
"Just like in out castle of Cair Paravel," finished Suasn, in a singsong voice."How it all comes back!" Said Lucy. "We could pretend we were in Cair Paravel now, and that this was our feasting hall."
"But unfortunatly, without the feast," said Edmund. "It's getting late, you know. Look how long the shadows are. And have you notice that it isn't so hot?"
"We shall need a campfire if we're going to be staying here for the night," Peter told them. "I've got matches. Let's see if we can collect some dry wood." Everyone saw the sense in this, and for the next half-hour they were busy gathering sticks and twigs. After they had gathered a fairly large pile of firewood, they sat down for another meal of raw apples.
Susan went for another drink of water, and when she returned, she had something in her hand. "Look," she said in a rather choked voice. "Look what I found by the well." She gave it to Peter and sat down. The other thought that she might burst right into tears. Lucy and Edmund crowded around Peter and looked what he had been given.
"Well, I'm jiggered," came the queer sounding voice of their brother. It turned out to be a ordinary sized chest piece, but it was quite heavy because it was made out of pure gold.
"Why, it's exactly like one of the golden chessmen we used to play with, when we were Kings and Queens," exclaimed Lucy. Susan blinked back her tears. Peter put his arm around her.
"Cheer up, Su."
"I just can't help it," she cried. "This is bringing back such lovely memories. Playing chess with the fauns, and the mer-people singing in the sea, and my beautiful horse, and...and..."
"Now," said Peter in quite a different voice. "It's about time we started to use our brains."
"About what?" Edmund asked. "Have none of you guessed where we are?"
The others looked at Peter as he stood up. "Fire ahead, Peter. We're all listening," Edmund told him.
"We are in the ruins of Cair Paravel itself."
"But I say," replied Edmund. "How do you make that out? This place has been ruined for ages. Look at the wild trees. Look at the very stones. Anyone can see that this place hasn't been lived in for hundreds of years."
"I know. That's the difficulty. But leave that out for the moment. I want to take the points one by one. First point: this hall is exactly the same shape and size as the hall at Cair Paravel. Just picture a roof, and coloured pavement."
No one said anything.
"Second point:" continued Peter. "The castle well is in the same spot that our well was, a little to the south of the Great Hall, and it is the same shape and size."
Again, nobody said anything.
"Third point: Susan just found one of our old chessmen. Fourth point: Don't you remember...it was the very day that the ambassadors can from Calormen...planting the orchard outside the North gate of Cair? The wood people came and put good spells on it. Do you remember the cheif mole saying how glad we would be oneday for this orchard? And by Jove, he was right."
"I do! I do!" said Lucy, and she clapped her hands.
"But look here," said Edmund. "This must be all rot. For one thing, Cair Paravel wasn't on an island."
"Yes, I've been wondering about that. But it was on a peninsula, Jolly nearly an island. Couldn't have someone made it an island since our time? Someone has dug a channel."
"Since our time?" Echoed Edmund. "What do you mean, 'since our time'? We only left Narnia a year ago. It's all impossible."
"There is one thing," said Lucy. "We ought to be sitting with out backs against a door, the door that led to our treasure chamber." Peter looked dismayed. "No, I suppose there isn't a door, is there?"
"We can soon find that out," said Edmund, picking up a stick. He began tapping against the wall, and came upone a great hallow, wooden sound. "Great Scott!" He cried. "We must clear this ivy away," Peter told them.
"Oh, let's leave it alone," Susan begged them. "We can try in the morning. I don't want to spend the night here with a great hole at my back."
But the boys were too busy to take Susan's advice. They worked at the ivy with Peter's pocket-knife until it broke; after that they used Edmund's. At last they had cleared away all the ivy and were standing in front of a door.
"Locked of course," said Peter.
"But the wood's all rotten," Edmund noticed. "We can pull it to bits in no time, and it'll make extra fire-wood. Come on."
It took them longer than expected and when they were finished, the sky above them was dark. Edmund got out his new torch and flicked it on. They walked down the steps, counting as they went.
"Sixteen," said Lucy. "There were sixteen at Cair Paravel. Oh, we really are back!"
They entered a dark room, and Edmund flashed his torch around. In front of them were tables with heaps upon heaps of treasure, gleaming in the light. Necklaces and rings, golden bowls and dishes, tusks of ivory, brooches and coronets and crowns, and piles of unset jewels.
Emeralds and rubies, sapphires, diamonds and amethysts lay as if they were worthless piles of potatoes. There was armour and chainmail, and many different weapons. They had a great time losing themselves in their memories, until Edmund spoke up.
"Listen here, hadn't we better not waste the battery? Let's just take what we need and go back to the fire?"
"We must take our gifts," Peter agreed. Edmund grew quite, for they all knew that he had no gifts. That was his own fault, though, and they had all moved passed it. Susan held her bow and arrows, and Lucy had strung the the cordial around her neck. Peter gripped his sword and sheild.
"It is my sword Rhindon, in which I used to slay the wolf." There was a new tone in his voice, and the others felt as if he were the High King once again. Then after a pause, they remembered that they must save the battery. As they exited the stairwell, Peter cleared his throat.
"Ed, come here. I've just realized something." Edmund came around to where his brother was standing, while Susan and Lucy sat back down beside the fire.
"Seeing as we've found ourselves back in Narnia, do you think...well, do you think it's possible that...Elizabeth has, as well?"
Edmund sighed. He was wondering when Peter would bring up his wife.
"It is possible. I mean, if we were called back, why wouldn't she be. After all, she was in Narnia before us." The brothers were about to sit down next to the girls, when they heard a ear-piercing scream.
"What's that horrid sound?" asked Lucy?
Both Peter and Edmund drew their swords and moved forword.
"I don't know. Susan, Lucy, stay here. If anything should come out of the wood, well...it would be safe in the treasure chamber." The girls nodded and watched as their brothers ran into the dark forest.
Edmund held his torch in one hand, and his sword in the other. He and Peter had gone separate directions, and he had been on his own for quite awhile now. He still hadn't found any sign of where the scream came from.
'I wonder if Peter has had better luck?' In one quick moment, though, Edmund saw the bushes in front of him start to shake. He held up his sword and shined his light through the trees.
"Who's there?" In an instant, Edmund came face to face with the person who screamed for dear life. Her pale face was smudged with dirt, and there were tears running down her face.
"Oh my...Elizabeth? Is that you?" The girl seemed to calm down as her eyes registered the person in front of her.
"Edmund?" At once, Edmund dropped his sword and his torch when his former sister-in-law threw herself into his arms. He held Elizabeth in a tight hug and laughed.
"When did you get here? How? Was that you we all heard?" Releasing Edmund, Elizabeth picked up the flashlight. "Yes, that was me. Am I where I think I am? Are we back in Narnia?" Edmund nodded his head and watched her grin.
"I don't know how I got here. I'm guessing the same way I did the first time. I've been wondering around for about half an hour." She suddenly gasped.
"Ed, you mean the other three are here too? Peter's here?" Edmund smiled at her.
"Yes, he is. He was hoping you'd be here, as well. Elizabeth, why were you screaming?"
Elizabeth bit her lip.
Should she tell him?
"Because I was going to die." Edmund shook his head. "But you're here now. I don't understand. What do you mean?"
"Whatever brought me here, Aslan, or something else...well, I was brought here right before a truck was going to hit my friend Aimee's car. She ran a red light, and I could see this huge truck coming right at us. I started to scream, but it looks like I wasn't in the car crash after all."
Edmund was shocked.
"But that means...if we get sent back..."
"Yes, I know. Let's not talk about that. Will you take me to the others?" Edmund nodded. "Of course."
They walked back to the fire in silence, neither of them feeling the need to speak. "Edmund," he heard his sisters calling him. "Is that you?" He walked out of the bushed with Elizabeth behind him.
"Yes, it's me. And look who I found." Lucy and Susan let out cries and came running forward to Elizabeth. There were many tears of joy as the girls were reunited with their sister.
They asked her all the questions that Edmund did, but this time, she omitted why she had screamed. Edmund sat back and watched as the girls crowded around Elizabeth, and he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Ed, what did you find?" Peter came to stand beside his brother, and then he caught sight of Elizabeth. Peter froze as she turned and saw him standing there, right in front of her.
Their eyes locked onto each other, and everything else seemed to melt away.
"Lizzie? Is that really you?"
Elizabeth had waited for this moment for a whole year, but now that she was sctually standing in front of Peter, she didn't know what to do. She felt tears come to her eyes and Peter ran to her. In less then a minute, he was holding her in his arms with Elizabeth crying on his shoulder.
"I thought...I thought I'd never see you again. I thought I'd lost you forever," she whispered. Peter smiled down at her. "You could never lose me," he told her.
It only made her cry harder, for that is what she told Peter when she had her accident with the horse long ago. Looking down at her neck, Peter saw that Elizabeth was still wearing her scallop necklace, along with her silver wedding ring. "You still have those?" She smiled.
"I've hardly ever taken them off."
They stayed wrapped in each others arms with Peter's siblings watching them with smiles on their faces. "Hadn't we better get some sleep?" Susan piped up. The others agreed, and they lay beside the fire, with Peter's arms holding Elizabeth close.
When they woke up the next morning, all five of them found it very difficult to get up.
"It's so very peacful here," Lucy told them all, with her eyes still closed. "The only bad thing is we only have the apples for breakfast."
Eventually they all got up, drank from the well and had some apples. They wandered down to the stream and came upon a small rowboat some distance away.
As it came closer, they saw that there were two men in the boat, along with a red-bearded Dwarf. The men, soldiers by the look of them, were preparing to dump the Dwarf into the river, when Susan stepped forward with her bow. She let an arrow fly, and it struck the soldier in the helmet.
Seeing that his companion was in the water, the other man jumped from the boat and dissapeared into the woods of the mainland. "Quick, grab the boat before she drifts." Cried Peter.
They all rushed into the water asnd pulled the boat ashore. When they got the Dwarf out, they cut his bonds and watched him rub his wrists.
"Well, whatever they say, you don't seem like ghosts," he said to the small group. "But ghosts or no, you saved my life, and I'm most obliged to you."
"But why should we be ghosts?" Asked Lucy.
"I've been told all my life that there are ghosts in this forest." The Dwarf told them.
"Well, I say, we're not ghosts." Susan said.
"That's all well and good, but in the meantime, I was wondering if you were going to ask me to breakfast." The Dwarf smiled cheerfully.
"We've only got apples," Susan told him.
"That's better then nothing. But it's not so good as fresh fish. I saw some fishing tackle in that boat."
The five children went out into the boat, and when they came back, they had six medium sized trout. After breakfast, they settled down next to the castle. "Now," Peter said. "You tell us your story, then we shall tell you ours." The Dwarf nodded.
"I s'pose that would be alright." They learned that the Dwarf's name was Trumpkin, and that he was a messenger of King Caspian."
"Whos' that?" The five of them asked.
"King Caspian, of the old Narnians. Although he should be king of the whole country."
He then proceded to tell the five of them the whole story of Prince Caspian.
"So that's how we all came back here, it was your horn, Susan." Elizabeth said. She had just finished braiding her hair. It might have been a rude thing to do, but Trumpkin didn't seem to notice.
"Meanwhile," he said. "I'd better get back to Caspian, and tell him that no help has come."
"No help? But the horn has worked. We have come." Susan told Trumpkin. His face took on a look of confusion.
"Um...yes...um...well, I see that, but..."
"Don't you know who we are?" Edmund asked the Dwarf. "I s'pose you're the four children from the old stories, and I'm very glad to meet you, but...well, no offense..." He trailed off.
"Do get on and say whatever it is you were going to say." Edmund said, rather cross.
'Wait a minute, four? What about me?' Elizabeth thought to herself.
"Well, no offense, but Caspian and the rest were expecting great warriors. As it is, we're very fond of children, but at the moment we're in the middle of a war, you see."
"You mean you think we're no good?" Lucy accused him, and she was getting red in the face. "Now, don't be offended," interrupted Trumpkin.
"I suppose you don't believe we won the Battle of Beruna?" Edmund jumped up.
"Well, you can say what you like about me, because I know..."
"There's no good losing our tempers," Peter interjected. "Let's fit him with armour, and then have a talk after that."
They found Trumpkin a mail shirt, a sword and sheild, a helmet and a bow, all of dwarfish size. Armour was also found for the five others.
"Trumpkin," Elizabeth asked very suddenly. "Why did you only mention 'four' from the old stories?"
Trumpkin looked up at the girl. "Why, who are you, lass?" She was astounded, to say the least. How could he not know who she was, as he did the others.
"She is Elizabeth," Peter told the Dwarf. "She is the High Queen."
Trumpkin had the good sense to look embarrased.
"Beg your pardon, lass. I never expected you to show up at all."
"What do you mean?" Elizabeth's voice was low, so the others couldn't hear her. "Well, according to the old stories, the High Queen took her own life the day the others vanished."
She gasped.
"I did not! I was with them!" Trumpkin held up his hands. "Calm down lass, I'm just telling you how the stories go." Elizabeth huffed and walked passed Edmund, who challenged Trumpkin to a fencing match. Peter, Susan, and Lucy watched with excitment in their eyes.
Elizabeth, on the other hand, sat sulking. 'I can't believe it. Who would start such a ridiculous story? I'll bet it was that Lady Samara. She always hated me.'
Peter noticed that she wasn't paying attention, so he reached over and gave her braid a gentle tug. Turning to face Peter, Elizabeth smiled.
"Are you still upset about what Trumpkin told you?" She nodded. "Of course I am. Wouldn't you be? I've been slandered!" Peter just laughed at her. Edmund had bested Trumpkin at the swordplay, and Susan was challenged him to an archery contest. She won of course, although she didn't feel half as good as Edmund did.
"Giants and junipers!" Trumpkin called out, when Lucy cured his small wound. "Well, I've made as big a fool of myselfas ever a Dwarf did. No offense, I hope? My humble duty to your Majesties all."
"And now," said Peter, "if you've really decided to believe us, it's quite clear that we must join Caspian at once."
"The sooner, the better,' said Trumpkin. After they gather up as many apples as they could, everyone had a good drink from the well and got into the boat. Edmund and Peter both took an oar, so it was quite a lovely time for the girls, sitting in the front, reminising about the old times.
"Do you remember our great ship, the Splendor Hyaline?" Asked Susan. "With the swan's head, and the carved wings, and the silken sails?" Lucy nodded. "And do you remember our voyage? To Terebinthia, and Galma? The Seven Isles, and the Lone Islands?"
Elizabeth blushed when Lucy mentioned Galma, and she glanced at Peter. Peter, who was listening to the conversation, snuck in a look at Elizabeth, both of them remembering their honeymoon on Galma.
The two sisters sat reminising, while Elizabeth sat close to Peter. "Phew, this is grueling work," he said. Lucy offered to row for awhile, but the oars were much to big for her.
"Here," Elizabeth said, motioning for Peter to move over. "Let me." She rowed until they reached land, and by that time everyone was bitterly tired, and in low spirits. After a small supper of apples, they all went to sleep at once.
That is, except for Lucy and Elizabeth.
She heard Lucy get up and walk away, but Elizabeth thought she was just going to relieve herself. Making sure his arm was atill around her waist, she turned around and faced a sleeping Peter. She studied his face as it was hit by the moonlight.
Just being able to see him again made her chest tighten with happiness. When Elizabeth was sent back to her world, she never thought that she would see him again, and to be back with him now was unbelievable. She had never stopped loving Peter. She hoped that he knew that. She smiled as Peter mumbled something in his sleep, and she drew herself closer to him, slowly falling asleep.
It was a cheerless day when the group awoke the next morning, as Peter pulled out apples for breakfast. "Heigh-Ho," said Trumpkin. "I must say you ancient Kings and Queens certainly don't overfeed your courtiers."
The six ate in silence, until Trumpkin stood up. He threw away his apple cores and surveyed the area. "I suppose your Majesties know the way alright?' He asked. "I don't," said Susan from the ground. "I've never seen these woods in my life." After a bit of decisive conversation, they were on their way. They had plodded on for about an hour, when Trumpkin stopped them.
"There's something following us." They continued walking, with Susan and Trumpkin walking with bows drawn. Just as they were passing through a thicket, they heard a snarling bear beside them. In a flash, Trumpkin let his arrow go, and the bear fell over, dead.
Susan led Lucy and Elizabeth away from the bear, as the boys and the Dwarf took to skinning it. When that messy buisness was finished, they were on their way again, all of them with raw meat in their pockets.
"I suppose we are going the right way," Edmund said, after they had come upon a stream. Peter, Edmund, and Trumpkin had all washed their hands the moment they had seen it.
"I can't see how we can go wrong, as long as we don't bear to much from the left," said Peter. And so they were off again, with no sound except the jingle of their chain shirts. As they walked, Elizabeth noticed Trumpkin throwing Peter anxious looks, but he never said anything.
Very soon, their mail shirts began to feel very hot, and they grew heavier with every step.
"What on earth?" Peter said, quite suddenly. Without seeing it, they had come almost to the edge of a cliff, from which they looked down into a gorge with a river at the bottom. On the far side, the clifss rose much higher, and no one but Edmund was a rock climber.
"I'm sorry," said Peter. "It's my fault for coming this way. We're lost. I've never seen this place before." Elizabeth reached out her hand and gave Peter's shoulder a small squeeze. "It's alright, Peter. No one blames you." He turned and gave her a grateful smile, as Trumpkin gave a low whistle.
"I knew all along we'de get lost in these woods," Susan piped up, crossing her arms.
"Susan," said Lucy. "Don't nag at Peter like that. He's doing all he can."
"And don't you snap at Susan like that, either," Edmund told her. "I think she's right. We are bloody lost."
"Edmund!" Elizabeth hissed. "Don't make him feel worse than he already does," she told him, speaking about Peter.
"Tubs and tortoiseshells!" Exclaimed Trumpkin. "If we've gotten lost coming in, what chance do we have of finding our way out again?"
"You think we should go on, even though we're lost?" Lucy asked. "I'm not sure we are lost. What's to stop this river from being the Rush?"
"Because the Rush is not in a gorge," Peter said, fighting to keep his temper. "Your Majesty says is. But oughtn't you to say was?" The Dwarf smiled.
As he let the thoughts move through his mind, Peter grinned. "I never thought of that. Trumpkin, you're a brick. Come on then, down this side of the gorge." "Look! Look, look!" Cried Lucy suddenly.
"What is it?" Everyone asked. "The Lion," said Lucy. "Aslan himself. Didn't you see?" Her face had changed completely ans her eyes shone.
"Do you really mean..." began Peter.
"Where do you think you saw him?" Susan asked. "Don't talk like a grown up," Lucy snapped. "I don't think I saw him, I know I saw him."
"Where, Lu?"
"Right up there, between those mountians. He wanted us to go where he was...up there." The group was puzzled. "How do you know that's what he wanted," asked Edmund.
"I just know," Lucy told them all, stamping her foot. "Let's put it to a vote," Peter said finally. "Up or down, Trumpkin?"
"Down," said the Dwarf. "What do you say, Susan?"
"Don't be angry, Lucy, but I say down. I'm dead tired. I want to get out of this wretched wood." Lucy sighed. "Edmund," Peter said. Edmund shrugged.
"Well, there's just this. When we first discovered Narnia, it was Lucy who found it first, and none of us believed her. She was right the whole time, though. Why shouldn't she be right this time? I vote up." Peter just nodded.
"Lizzie?" Elizabeth sighed. She did want to get out into the open, and going down would be easier.
But Lucy had a stronger connection with Aslan then the rest, and she said she saw him, Elizabeth had to believe her. "Up," was all she said. "It's your turn, Peter," Susan told him. "And I do hope you..."
"Oh, shut up, and let a chap think," Peter told his sister crossly. "I'm sorry, Lucy, but I say down." That was that, the vote was over, but now they were deadlocked.
"I think the High King should be the one to decide." Trumpkin said.
"Down," Peter said after a long pause.
Going down the edge of the gorge was not as easy as it looked. When they finally got around a newly grown wood, they worried if they would ever get back to the river. Then, all of the sudden, there was a whizz, and a sound like a woodpecker.
Then Trumpkin yelled, "Down, down!" He pushed Lucy to the ground, and Peterwas shockingly aware of an arrow protruding from a tree just above his head. As he pulled Susan down, another whizzing sound come over his shoulder, and and arrow struck the ground at his side. Edmund pulled Elizabeth to the ground, and they could hear Trumpkin panting.
"Quick, quick, down. Crawl."
They turned and crawled along uphill, arrows buzzing all around them. One struck Susan's helmet with a sharp ping. They crawled even quicker, and it was hard work. All uphill, back over ground they had already covered. They finally slumped down on wet moss, amazed at how high they had already gotten. They listened intently, and heard no sound of pursuit.
"So that's all right," Trumpkin said. "They're not searching the woods, only sentries. Although, if we'd have gone my way, we would have run into a new outpost."
"I suppose we'll have to go right up the gorge now," Lucy said. "Lu, you're a hero," Peter told her, putting his arm around her shoulders.
"That's the closest thing to an 'I told you so' you've said all day." It was then decided that once they got back into the woods, Trumpkin was going to light a fire and cook them supper. It was a lovely supper of apples, with bear meat wrapped around it.
After supper, there was no washing up, only laying back and chatting. Everyone felt much more hopeful now about finding Caspian and defeating Miraz. They all settled down to sleep, all except Elizabeth. Having to go to the bathroom, she got up from the ground and walked into the forest.
Humming to herself on the way back, she didn't hear Peter come up behind her. Grabbing her by the arm, he gave a smile when she gasped.
"Don't sneak up on me like that, you almost gave me a heart attack." She scolded him. Peter just smiled and held onto her hand.
"Where did you get off to? I woke up and you weren't there." She let Peter lead her back to the campsite, and they lay down on the ground careful not to wake anyone up. Elizabeth shivered and cuddled up to Peter's chest. Feeling her eyes close, she was happy to get a few hours sleep.
She didn't know how long she had been asleep for, when she and Peter were roughly woken up by a smiling Lucy.
"Peter, Elizabeth!" She whispered into their ears. "Wake up. Aslan is here, and he says we must fiollow him."
Elizabeth thought she was dreaming, and fell back asleep.
"Certainly, Lu. Whatever you like," Peter mumbled. Lucy was encouraged, until he rolled back over and fell back asleep. Lucy went to Susan, and then Edmund.
Edmund seemed like he didn't believe her, but he got up anyways, and helped wake the others. When the whole party was awake, Lucy told her story for the fourth time.
"I don't see anything, Lucy," said Peter. "Can you, Susan?"
"Of course I can't," she snapped. "Because there isn't anything to see. Lucy's been dreaming. Now lie back down and get back to sleep."
"I hope that you will all come with me, because if you don't...I'll have to go on alone."
"Don't talk nonsense, Lucy. Peter, you can't let her go by herself."
"I'll go with her if she must go," Edmund piped up. "She's been right before."
"I know she has. She may have been right this morning. Still, at this hour of the night? And why would Aslan be invisalbe to us? He never has been before. It's not like him."
"We must go now," Lucy insisted. "He's beating his paw on the ground for us to hurry." "Come one then," growled Elizabeth, who was annoyed at missing a night of sleep. "We've got to go."
"On the march, then," sighed Peter, picking up his sheild. The group started to march, with Lucy in the lead. They only had her directions to go on, because Aslan was still not visable to the rest of them.
That is, until Edmund caught up with Lucy, saying that he could see Aslan's shadow. He led them down the gorge, and up a hill, and Lucy knew at once it was the hill of the Stone Table.
Elizabeth gasped and grabbed Peter's hand. She looked up into Peter's eyes and smiled.
"I see him now." So did Susan. She watched as Susan walked up to Lucy an apologize. Trumpkin was saying something Elizabeth couldn't hear, but the four siblings yelled, "Hush."
Aslan stood before them, looking so majestic. The boys stepped forward, and kneeled. "Oh, Aslan," said Peter. "I'm so glad. And I'm so sorry. I've been leading them the wrong way since we started."
"My dear son," sadi Aslan. Then he turned toward Edmund. "Well done," were his words. He called on Susan, and breathed on her, to rid her of her fears. His eyes met Elizabeth, and she walked to where Peter was. Kneeling, Aslan's paw went to her shoulder.
But he said nothing.
He just called on Trumpkin, the dwarf who didn't believe in lions. "Come here, Son of Earth." Trumpkin tottered toward Aslan, and the lion pounced, shaking the dwarf like he was a rag doll. Then Aslan's paws caught him, and he was put back on the ground.
"Shall we be friends?"
"Yes," panted Trumpkin, when he had gotten his breath back.
"Now," said Aslan. "The moon is setting. There is no time to lose. You three," he pointed to the boys and Trumpkin.
"Hasten into the Mound and deal with what you will find." The three prepared to go, when they heard Elizabeth clear her throat. "If you don't mind, Aslan, I'm going with them."
No one said anything. Lucy and Susan stood there with their mouths open. In all the years they had known Aslan, no one had ever spoken back to him in such a way.
But Elizabeth said it with her head high, as if she wouldn't take no for an answer. Aslan just nodded his consent, and the four left the hill. They arrived at a dark little stone archway which led into the inside of the Mound, and two badger guards lept up and snarled.
"Who goes there?" They asked. "Trumpkin," said the dwarf. "Bringing the Kings and Queen of Old Narnia."
"At last," said the badgers. "At last."
They gave a torch to Peter and another to Trumpkin. Trumpkin was in the lead, with Edmund next, and Peter and Elizabeth in the rear.
"What made you speak up to Aslan like that, Lizzie?" Peter whispered. Elizabeth was glad for the darkness, so Peter couldn't see her blush.
"I just didn't want to be separated from you again," she whispered back. Peter stopped suddenly and grabbed her hand. He pulled her to him and kissed her gently.
They stood staring at each other, before they heard Edmund's voice. "Hurry it up, you two!" Clearing his throat, Peter ran to catch up, pulling Elizabeth with him. They had caught up with Edmund and Trumpkin, just as they came upon the door of the central chamber.
Someone inside had been talking so loudly that their approach had not been heard. "Don't like the sound of that," said Trumpkin. "Let's listen for a moment." All four stood perfectly still on the outside of the door. As it turned out, inside the room was Prince Caspian himself, a badger named Trufflehunter, a half-dwarf named Cornelius.
There was also Nikabrik, a hag and a werwolf. The four heard a noiose, the clash of metal, and they rushed in.
The fight was over in a matter of minutes, and the introductions began. Peter stepped forward, after deciding what to do with the dead.
"And I suppose you're Prince Caspian?"
"Yes," said the boy. "But I have no idea who you are."
"It's the High King, King Peter," Trumpkin told him. "And the King Edmund, and the High Queen Elizabeth." The young boy looked very relieved.
"Your Majesties are very welcome."
"I haven't come to take your place, you know. But to put you in it." They all sat down to a breakfast sometime after that, and when they were done, Peter took comand.
"Now, Aslan and the girls are somewhere close," he told them all. "In the meantime, he would like us to do what we can on our own. You say, Caspian, that we are not strong enough to meet him in open battle?"
"I'm afraid not, High King."
Peter scowled for a moment. "Very well. I'll send him a challenge to single combat." No one had thought of that yet.
"Please," said the young Caspian. "Could it not be me? I want to avenge my father." For it was the usurper, Miraz, who had the true King murdered.
"You're wounded," Peter pointed out. "And besides, wouldn't he just laugh at a challenge from you? We have seen you as a king and a warrior, but he thinks of you as a kid."
"But Sire," said Trufflehunter the badger. "Will he accept a challenge from you? He knows he has the stronger army."
Elizabeth sighed when she heard that. Miraz did have the bigger army. Why bother taking a challenge from a sixteen year old?
"Very likely he won't," said Peter, as if reading Elizabeth's mind. "But there's always the chance. Even if he doesn't, we'll spend part of the day sending heralds to and fro. By that time, Aslan might have done something.
At least I can inspect the army and strengthen the position. I will send the challenge. In fact, I'll write it at once. Do you have a pen and ink, Doctor Cornelius?"
"A scholar is never without them, Majesty," said Cornelius. "Very well. I will dictate."
While the doctor was rolling out his parchment, Peter cast a glance at Elizabeth. She was slightly pale, and she was biting her lip. She was nervous. She watched as her one time husband sat in a chair with his eyes half close, trying to recall the language in which he had written long ago.
"Right," he said at last. "Are you ready?"
Peter began, and Edmund caught Elizabeth's eye. He was the High King again.
"Peter, by the gift of Aslan, by election, by prescription, and by conquest, High King over all Kings in Narnia, Emperor of the Lone Islands and Lord of Cair Paravel, Knight of the most noble Order of the Lion, to Miraz, son of Caspian the Eighth, sometime Lord Protector of Narnia and now styling himself King, Greeting."
He paused.
"Comma, Greeting." Muttered Cornelius. "Yes Sire."
"To prevent the effusion of blood, and for the avoiding all other inconveniences likely to grow from the wars now leived in our realm of Narnia, it is our pleasure to adventure our royal person on behalf of our trusty and well-beloved Caspian in clean wager of battle to prove upon your Lordship's body that the said Caspian is lawful King under us in Narnia both by our gift and by the laws of the Telmarines, and your Lordship twice guilty of treachery both withholding in the dominion of Narnia from the said Caspin and in the most abhominable bloody, and unnatural murder of your kindly lord brother King Caspian the Ninth of that name. Wherefore we most heatily provoke, challenge, and defy your Lordship to the said combat and monomachy, and have sent these letters by the hand of our well beloved and royal brother Edmund, sometime King under us in Narnia, Duke of Lantern Waste and Count of the Western March, Knight of the noble Order of the Table, to whom we have given full power of determining with your Lordship all conditions of the said battle. Given at our lodging in Aslan's How this XII day of the month Greenroof in the first year of Caspian the tenth of Narnia. That ought to do," said Peter, drawing a deep breath.
"And now we must send two others with King Edmund. I think the giant ought to be one."
"He's not very clever, you know," said Caspian. "Of course not. But any giant looks impressive, if only he'll keep quiet. Who'll be the second?"
"Why not the High Queen," suggested Caspian. "From all the old stories I've ever heard, she was a warrioress to be feared."
Elizabeth shook her head.
"Thank-you, your Highness, but I don't think that would be wise. From all I've heard from Trumpkin, he would just laugh if he saw me, as well."
"Aye," Trumpkin spoke up. "To him, a female's still a female, even if she wields a sword."
"Send Glenstorm, Sire," said Trufflehunter. "No one has ever laughed at a Centaur."
An hour later, Edmund left to delive the letter, and Peter and Elizabeth were left alone. Sitting in the central chamber, Peter's fingers grazed over Elizabeth's hand.
"Are you alright, Lizzie?" Elizabeth bit her lip again.
"Peter, are you sure...you should be doing this?" Peter furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean? Do you not think I can do it?"
Elizabeth grabbed onto his hand and moved closer with her chair. "It's not that. It's just...he's older...stronger. You haven't wielded a sword in battle for so long...and..."
She broke down, and Peter saw a tear run down her cheek, before she stiffened and wiped it away.
"I'll be worried for you." Peter kissed her on the cheek and grinned. "Don't worry, Lizzie. Everything will be okay." Hearing this, Elizabeth sniffed and stood up. She knew that everything wouldn't be ok, even if Peter won the battle, and everything good was restored in Narnia.
Every so often, her mind would wander back to the night she was sent back here. The car accident.
But she couldn't bother Peter with this now, could she?
No.
She just pulled him into a tight hug when he rose, and smiled when she felt him kiss her forehead. Smiling up at him, Elizabeth lifted her head and pressed her lips to his. When they heard a throat clear behind them, Peter and Elizabeth jumped apart, both of them blushing.
It was Trumpkin, who was looking very akward.
"Excuse me, your Majesties, but we need to mark out the place of combat." Peter nodded hastily, and followed the dwarf outside. Sighing, Elizabeth followed them out.
The next day, at a little before two o'clock, Trumpkin and the badger sat with the rest of the creatures at the wood's edge, looking across at the gleaming line of Miraz's army.
In the middle of all the people, stood a ring for Peter and Miraz to hold their battle. Peter had just shaken hands with Edmund, Caspian and Cornelius, and was now walking down into the ring.
Elizabeth sat next to Edmund, biting her nails down to the quick. "I wish Aslan had turned up before this," she said to Edmund. He just smiled reassuringly and placed an arm around her shoulder.
No one said anything now, for Peter and Miraz had entered the ring from opposite ends, both in chain mail and helmets. They advanced until they were close together, and they bowed and appeared to be speaking.
The next moment, two swords flashed in the sunlight.
"Well done, Peter, well done," cried Edmund, as he saw Miraz step back a pace and a half. "Follow it up quick!" And Peter did, and for a few seconds it looked like he might win.
But then Miraz pulled himself together and began to make real use of his height and weight. "Miraz! Miraz!" Came the cries of the Telmarines. Edmund and Elizabeth grew white with anxiety.
"Peter is taking some dreadful knocks," said Edmund. Elizabeth took a sharp breath. "Ed, don't say that."
"I'm afriad Miraz kmows his work," said Cornelius, not hearing what Elizabeth just said. Suddenly, there was a deafening sound coming from the Old Narnians.
"What was it? What was it?" asked Caspian.
"The High King has pricked him in the arm," said Elizabeth, tensly. "First blood."
"It's looking ugly again, though," said Edmund. "Peter's not using his sheid properly. He must have hurt his left arm."
And it was true.
Everyone could see that Peter's sheild hung limp. The shouting from the Telmarines doubled.
"You two have seen more battle than I. Is there any chance?" Asked Cornelius. "Precious little," answered Edmund honestly.
"I suppose he might just do it. With luck." Suddenly, all the shouting from both sides died down. Elizabeth was puzzled for a moment.
Then Edmund said, "Oh, I see. They've agreed to a bit of a rest." They ran to the side of the ring, along with Cornelius. Peter came outside to meet them, his face red and sweaty. His chest was heaving.
"Is your left arm wounded?" Edmund asked. "Not exactly a wound," Peter told them. "I got the full weight of his shoulder on my sheild. Like a load of bricks. And the rim of my shield drove into my wrist. I don't think it's broken, just sprained. I was hoping you could tie it up, doctor. Tight enough, and I think I can manage."
While they were doing this, Edmund and Elizabeth asked, "What do you think of him, Peter?"
"Tough," he told them. "Very tough. I have a chance if I can keep him on the top of the hill, until his weight and short wind come against him. In this hot sun, too. To tell the truth, I haven't much chance otherwise."
The Telmarines had begun their jeering once again, as Miraz stepped back into the ring. Peter looked at Miraz, then turned back to Edmund and Elizabeth.
"Ed, give my love to everyone at home, if he gets me. So long, old chap. Goodbye, doctor."
Peter took a breath and looked sadly at Elizabeth. Touching her cheek, he brought her in for a soft kiss, before quickly putting his helmet back on. He walked back into the ring, ignoring the insults of the Telmarines.
Neither Edmund nor Elizabeth could speak. They walked back to their own lines with sick feelings in their stomachs. Edmund looked at the girl he still considered a sister.
If anyone knew how he was feeling, it was Elizabeth.
Peter was now able to make better use of his shield, though, and he made good use of his feet. He was almost playing tag with Miraz now, keeping out of range, shifting his ground, making Miraz work.
"Coward!" Booed the Telmarines. "Oh, I do hope he won't listen to them," said Caspian.
"Not he," Edmund told him. "You don't know Peter. He...Oh!"
For at that moment, Miraz got a blow in at last, on Peter's helmet. A hard one at that, because Peter staggered, slipped side ways, and fell to one knee. Miraz took advantage of this, and kicked Peter in the head with his metal boot. Falling on one side, he rolled onto his back, not moving.
Edmund bit down on his lip until the blood came, and Elizabeth couldn't breath. "Get up, Peter! Get up!" She screamed at him, but he couldn't hear her. Peter lay on the ground, his senses gone. The world around him had gone blurry, and he couldn't hear the sounds around him.
"PETER!" Elizabeth's nails dug into Edmund's arm as Miraz raised his sword over Peter's prone body. Everything seemed to happen in slow motion then. "Elizabeth! No!" Edmund called, grasping for his sister's arm, but she was too fast for him. She ran out into the ring, and threw herself over Peter.
The blinding sun that shining down on Peter's face was suddenly blocked out by something, and he heard a cry. Finally coming to his senses, he shook his head when he saw Elizabeth's face so close to his own.
"Lizzie?"
She grimaced, looking down at him. Peter looked above her, and saw Miraz withdrawing his sword with a sickening grin. Rolling Elizabeth over, he let out a breath. Blood was slowly seeping through her tunic, and Peter realised what had happened.
She had been stabbed by Miraz in an effort to save him.
"Lizzie?" He whispered, kneeling next to her. She looked up at him and smiled. Peter felt as he had been punched in the stomach.
Picking up his sword, he stood and clashed with Miraz. It was then that Miraz began to taunt him.
"Your lady died for nothing, it seems, because I'm still going to kill you, your Majesty," he sneered. Peter bit back a retort, and instead jabbed him in the chest, causing him to fall to the ground.
His Lords, Glozelle and Sopespian, ran to him as if to help him up, but in fact, they killed him with their own daggers. Peter ran back to Elizabeth.
"Lizzie. Why did you do that?" She was still concious, but just barely. "Because...I love...you..." Peter's eyes filled with tears.
"Caspian!" He called. "Cornelius!" They came running over. "Take her away. Get her somewhere safe!" The nodded, and picked up Elizabeth and took her away. Peter hardly understood what was happeneing next. He saw two big men running towards him, along with another Telmarine.
"To arms, Narnia. Treachery!" He cried. Peter swung to face Sopespian, slashed his legs from under him, and with the back-cut of the same stroke, chopped off his head. Edmund was there at his side just as the Telmarine army came rushing at them.
But just as the two sides began to fight, the tough looking Telmarines stopped and turned white. They gazed not at the Narnian army, but behind them, then threw down their weapons and screamed.
"The Wood! The Wood! The end of the world!" They shrieked and ran away from the newly awaken trees, trying to get to the Beruna bridge, only to find it wasn't there anymore. Then came an ear piercing roar, as Aslan finally appeared. Peter's army cheered and at the sight of the Lion, many Telmarines fell flat on their faces.
Then Peter, leadign Caspian, forced his way through the crowd of animals. "This is Caspian, Sir," he said. Caspian knelt and kissed Aslan's paw. "Welcome Prince. Tell me, do you feel yourself sufficent to take up the Kingship of Narnia?" Aslan asked.
"I...I don't think I do, Sir," admitted Caspian. "I'm only a kid." Aslan nodded. "Then you are ready."
Aslan proclaimed Caspian King of Narnia, Emperor of the Lone Islands, and all that. But Peter rushed from Caspian, and found his sister Lucy.
"Lucy," he cried. He grabbed her by the hand and pulled her to a tent on the edge of the field. ""Peter, what's going on?" He told her to take out her cordial, and brought her to Elizabeth, who was a breath away from death. As Cornelius had put it. Two drops were quickly put into her mouth, and Elizabeth opened her eyes.
Peter grabbed her but they shoulders and shook her. "What's the matter with you, Lizzie? Why did you do that? You almost died!"
Elizabeth's chin quivered. "Better me then you," she told him.
"If I'm going to die, then I would rather die here."
Peter was puzzled. "What's that suppose to mean?" He asked. He watched her shoulders slump.
"I...I was brought back here, just as I was about to be in a car accident." Elizabeth got right to her point.
"When I go back, I'm going to die anyways. I would rather die saving you from that bastard." Peter was in shock. His Lizzie was going to be killed?
"But...but there must be something you could do!" Elizabeth smiled sadly. "Aside from not going back, there's nothing I can do." She threw herself into Peter's arms. He could feel her tears on his shoulder.
"Either way...I'm never going to see you again," she sobbed. Peter stroked her hair, trying to stop her tears. "Shhh...Lizzie, it'll be alright." Although he couldn't see how it would be. He couldn't think of a thing to say, other than whispering, "I love you, Lizzie," into her ear.
The rest of the Old Narnias left the two alone for the night, and it was in the early morning that Peter had a bright idea. He found Aslan sitting at the edge of the Woods, and he took the opportunity to speak with him.
When Elizabeth came out of the tent, she greeted Susan and Lucy with warm embraces. "What's Peter doing?" She asked them, when she saw him. Susan and Lucy shrugged. "I don't know. He's been speaking with Aslan ever since we woke up."
Elizabeth walked with Edmund, Susan and Lucy to the Ford of Berunsat noon, waiting for the Telmarines to show up.
Those who wanted to stay in Narnia were free to do so, but for those who didn't, Aslan was giving them a new home. Aslan came a few minutes after noon, with Peter and Caspian at his sides.
A few minuted were needed to settle the Telmarines down, before Aslan began to speak.
"Men of Telmar. You who seek a new land, hear my words. I will send you all to your own country, which I know, and you do not."
"We don't remember Telmar. We don't know where it is. We don't know what it's like," grumbled the Telmarines.
"You came into Narnia out of Telmar," said Aslan. "But you came out of Telmar from another place. You do not belong to this world at all. You came hither, certain generationa ago, out of the same world to which High King Peter belongs."
At this, the Telmarines began to get scared. They thought Aslan meant to take them out of the world all together.
"Will you go back to the place from which your fathers first came? It is not a bad place. There are fish in the rivers, good soil and fresh water." There was silence for a moment, before a burly looking Telmarine stepped forward. "Well, I'll take the offer."
"It is well chosen," said Aslan. "And because you have spoken first, your future in that world will be good. Come forth." The man, a little pale now, came forward. Aslan and his court drew aside, leaving the man free access to go through an empty doorway that Aslan had created.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on him.
They saw the man pass through the door, and then vanish completly. "Ugh, what's happened to him? Do you mean to murder us? We won't go that way," The Telmarines cried.
"Come on," said Peter suddenly. "Our time's up."
"What do you mean," asked Edmund. "This way," said Susan. "Back into the trees. We have to change."
"Change what?" Asked Lucy. "Our clothes, of course. Nice fools we'd look on the platform of an English station in these," Susan pointed out.
"But our things are at Caspian's," Edmund said. "No, they're not. They're all here. It's all been arranged," Peter told them. "Was that what you were speaking with Aslan about?" Lucy asked her brother.
"Yes. And other things." Peter turned to Elizabeth.
"Lizzie, he said it was okay. You can come with us." Elizabeth was confused. "What are you talking about?"
"Aslan will make it so that you can come back to England with us. If you want to, that is." His face was solemn. Elizabeth didn't have to think about it for long. "Of course I will!" She ran to Peter and jumped into his arms, laughing.
"Are you serious?" She asked. Peter nodded, while the rest of his siblings watched with smiles on their faces.
"But...you, me and Su...we can never come back to Narnia." "Never?" Cried Edmund in dismay. "Oh, you and Lucy are, at least from what he said. I'm pretty sure he means for you two to come back one day. But not us three. He say we're getting too old."
"Oh Peter. How can you bear it?" asked Lucy. "I think I can," said Peter, slowly. "It's all rather different from what I thought. You'll understand, when your turn comes. But quick, here are our things."
Even Elizabeth's clothes had been brought down, and the five of them changed. One or two of the nastier Telmarines jeered, but the other creatures all cheered and rose up in honour of Peter the High King, Elizabeth the High Queen, Queen Susan of the Horn, and King Edmund, and Queen Lucy.
There were tearful farwells with all of their new friends, and when they came to Aslan, it was the most wonderful and terrible thing.
And so, Peter took Elizabeth's hand, and she took Susan's, who took Edmund's, who held Lucy's. "What if this doen't work?" Asked Elizabeth fearfully.
Peter gave her hand a squeeze. "Have faith in Aslan." All the Narnians cheered as the five walked through the door, with the Telmarines close behind. In front of them was the gray, gravelly surface of the English platform.
They came out the door, and it was like they had never left. It was a little dreary for a moment after all they had been through, but also unexpectedly nice in it's own way.
"Well, we have had a time," Peter said. He looked over to where Elizabeth stood. She was looking everywhere, studying everything. "So this is what England is like? It's nice."
Peter smiled.
"What am I going to do now, though?" Elizabeth didn't have a clue what was going to happen with her life now. But there was one thing she knew. She was with Peter, and that was the only thing that mattered.
"Blast," she heard Edmund say. "I've left my new torch in Narnia."
They all had a good laugh at that, and Peter took his Lizzie into his arms, ignoring the shocked looks from the older passengers.
"I love you, Lizzie." She looked down at her silver ring and smiled.
"I love you too, Peter."
The End!