(A/N)Hi People. If there is anyone actually reading this anymore...Many thanks to Soccer Bitch, Samalamadinddong, and shadow dragon04 for being the only three people who actually reviewed the last chapter...I am depressed at the dwindling number of reviews but the more I get the faster I update ...hint hint...Enjoy.
Disclaimer is not able to attend because it has run off with my enthusiasm.
"Hurry, we must make it back before it becomes dark," Zack urged Sabra and Andrew. "It is not safe after sundown anymore, not even in Archenland."
They trailed behind Zack and his mount, too tired even to speak, following his lead. Not long after, the riders and their horses reached a small village, its people bustling to bring in all their wares, close down their shops and return home before sundown.
It was a quaint village, if anything, its size belying the bustle within. Most of the villagers seemed to know Zack, as they either nodded at him or gave him a wave, sending curious looks toward Sabra and Andrew, both clearly outsiders.
Sabra did her best to ignore these looks, and kept her eyes on Zack, lest he take a sudden turn and she got lost. Even if it was a small town. And she could have asked anyone for directions to Zack's house. She was distracted from her digressions by a child crying out.
"Da!"
Zack laughed as a 5-year-old launched himself into his arms. Sabra raised an eyebrow.
"Da?"
"Sabra, meet Tristan, my son. Tristan, this is Sabra. She's an old friend of mine."
The little boy, a splitting image of Zack apart from for his eyes, which were grey-blue, scrutinised Sabra unabashedly. "She don't look old, Da."
"That's because I'm not. Nice to meet you Tristan," she smiled and shook his outstretched hand. "It's good to finally see the spawn of Zack," Sabra added, grinning.
Zack shot her a wry look before setting Tristan on the ground, said five-year-old running into the house. Or cottage, actually. It was the type she would describe as picturesque, if a tad old. A solid structure and a thatched roof completed the scene. She followed Zack into a small barn big enough to accommodate both Andrew and Zack's horse, and was well stocked with hay, which evidently caught Andrew's attention, judging by his delighted whinny. She removed his tack speedily and brushed him down, eager to catch up with Zack, and promised to bring the horse up to speed the next morning.
Sabra followed Zack into the dwelling, narrowly avoiding a pig, and consequently, a broken neck.
Her eyes fell on the green-eyed baby gurgling up at her father, as a woman with waist length black hair looked on. Sabra assumed this was the rest of the family, Zack's wife, whom he introduced to her as Nellie, and daughter Camane.
Zack noticed her standing to the side awkwardly and introduced her to Nellie and Camane, handing her said baby as Nellie excused herself to get dinner ready.
As she stared at the cooing infant in her arms, she felt a twinge of…what? Jealousy? Wistfulness? Yearning for her family? The desire to see her brother again? (Okay, the last one was a little far-fetched, but still.)
"Sabra?" Zack spoke softly, as if aware of his friend's quandary.
Pull yourself together, Sabra, you ninny. With some effort, she tore her eyes off Camane and smiled brightly at Zack.
"Let's have that talk over dinner."
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The both of dined privately in Zack's study, Nellie respecting their wishes. They were, after all, old friends who needed to catch up. Even though Sabra looked half Zack's age, if not less.
"So, Zack, how did you come to Narnia?" Sabra went straight to the point after Nellie left them to feed the children.
"Well, it's kind of unexplained, really. You recall Rae and I standing guard while you looked for that amulet?" He pointed at the chain around Sabra's neck, quite needlessly. She nodded.
"Alright. We were looking out for policemen, and the like, when we heard a thud." He hesitated a split second before continuing. "So we went to investigate the sound. And…I felt this…tugging, of sorts. Next thing I knew I was in the same wood I found you, Andrew and Stubby in just now." He smiled, but she could tell it was strained.
"What was the thud-"
Zack cut her off quickly. Odd. "So, I found my way to this village, stole some clothes, got a job, as the apprentice of the previous huntsman, earned money, courted my wife, got married, had kids." He laughed. "I've just summarized the last fifteen years of my life in one sentence."
"What about Rae? Have you heard from her, seen her, anything?"
He frowned, then shook his head; no. "I doubt she even came into Narnia at all. But considering you and I entered this world at the same time on Earth, and different times here, there is a possibility. Maybe she's just late coming."
She snorted. "What would Narnia want with a trio of troublemakers?"
He nodded absently, shredding a slice of bread into fine fibres. She remembered something.
"Zack, what caused the thud sound?" Sabra had a feeling she already knew, but she needed to corroborate it for herself.
It took awhile for him to answer, and when he did, he avoided her eyes. "I, um, was pulled here before I could see what it was."
He was lying, she knew. So she prodded some more. "Tell me, Zack."
Zack decided a change of topic was in order. "What brings you to Archenland anyway?"
So she launched into her tale, starting from Servos and his supposition that she was Lucy, to the events that led her to get away from the camp, and, subsequently, Peter.
He had snorted when she told him of her bat impersonation at Servos' camp, and had laughed outright when he heard her dress had caught fire.
"Yep. You're the same old clumsy Sabra, alright."
Needless to say, Sabra didn't find it as funny as he apparently did.
Sometime between their conversation, they had finished their food. There was a soft knock at the door, and Nellie came in, smiling.
"Tristan and Camane want their Da, Zack." She pecked his cheek and started gathering the plates.
Zack grimaced, and thanked his wife, excusing himself. Sabra leapt to her feet and started to help Nellie, paying no attention to her hostess' protests that she was a guest and need not help.
Sabra grinned at her. "If you have to deal with Zack and his spawn, you deserve help."
(A/N) Somebody please review.
