A/N: Hiya, and welcome to another chapter! I hope this one will catch more interest than the last. Especially since it will 1), be longer, 2) introduce new and old characters, and 3) new adventures!
Hope you have a good read!
I will include recommendations for music, both ambient and from other genres to offer the best atmosphere in the story, and to give you a feeling of the mood throughout the storyline as well. As such below!
Soundstracks:
"Follow the Unicorn" by An Danzza
"The Forest Queen" by Peter Gundry
Peter Pevensie, had never once in his life, feared for his own life – for others, sure. His family, oh yes, many a time. Like the first time they had stumbled into Narnia as children. The time where Lucy had almost drowned, when Edmund had been captured, and when Susan had fallen off the cliff at the How. And many a time as adults. Peter had feared for his kingdom, his countrymen, and his court in his time as King.
But never his own life. His family had always come first. They come first.
And now, for the first time, Peter feared. He did not know where he was, what time or day, even what age. It had become very dark, very silent, and that frightened him. He was alone. He tried to cry out for someone but found that he couldn't – he thought he heard his own heart beat in his ear, he felt out of breath, but still, he could not make out anything of anything. All was simply black – until there was a bright orb of light penetrating the darkness, spreading out in his line of sight. He could make out the fact that he was lying down on his back. The light was turning so bright he couldn't squint hard enough to block out the intrusive light.
Then, he felt ground under his hands. Stretching his fingers, he found that he could move. He sat up and opened his eyes now that the light had receded to a bearable level.
His surroundings were nothing like he expected: he was in a forest. He was resting on a bed of wild white anemones on the forest floor. Peter picked up a flower and fingered one: it was indeed reality. Gnarly trees with lush leaves of green surrounded him, and he could make out blue sky and the sun from above.
In the distance he could hear a blackbird sing it melodic song.
Standing up, Peter straightened his white shirt that went with his suit jacket that he had left behind on the train. The train… What had exactly happened there? That's when he remembered his siblings on the train as well.
Where exactly was he?
"Lucy? Edmund!" he called, in hopes of them showing up. It was awfully silent, so it was less to not likely that he would find them nearby. But he had to try.
Walking past the roots of some trees, he found a slope that went upwards. It would be the best shot to see where he was, and so he followed the slope. It turned out to be quite the climb, but once at the top, he could see past the top of several trees to find densities of trees, a river abstracting a forest in two, which looked to him, oddly familiar. In the furthest distance, he could see the faint outline of mountains, which too, looked familiar.
"Beruna… Narnia," Peter murmured for himself, and even though he was struck with initial happiness, the thought of 'why' escaped him. He was told by the Great Lion himself that he would not return. And yet here he was. On the outskirts of some place he did not recognize, sure, but still… he was in Narnia.
He then wondered if he was here alone. And why he had been sent back. Amongst thousands of other questions he couldn't begin to hold a grasp of.
For now, he needed to find his siblings, at least try. He wasn't sure why, but he had a strong feeling that he hadn't been the only one sent back.
. . .
"Where do you suppose we are?" Lucy asked Edmund as they tracked through the heather-grown forest floor. They had been walking for quite some time now, and their reaction to be back in Narnia was a very delighted one, but they had no clue as to where they were. Disorientated, light-clothed and with no food or water, they needed to find some way out of the woods and into civilization, and hopefully, find familiar faces.
"Well, if my assumptions are right from what we saw from the tree, Beruna is this way, meaning the Telmarine Castle is not too far from there."
Lucy glanced at the trees around them that danced and stretched in the warmth of the early spring sun.
"What makes you think it's still standing?" she asked quietly, doubt creeping over her. They had no way of knowing if another thousand years had passed, like the second time they were thrown back into the Kingdom.
"Well, it's our best shot of finding out what is going on. If we are lucky, Caspian might still be alive."
"I hope you are right."
"Come on, I think I see an opening here," Edmund said, pointing ahead.
. . .
The sound of gentle waves lapping against the shore was the first thing Susan heard. The cry of seagulls from afar made her open her eyes. The bright light had disappeared, and she could make out the colours of her surroundings. The sea ahead was strikingly blue, the sands so pure, it seemed otherworldly. Black rocks were spread on the beach, with trees of green enveloping the beach around her.
Sitting up with a slight groan, Susan found herself close to the water, the foam reached her feet at every lap of the waves. The sun was bright and hot, signalizing it was at least passed noon. And that meant she needed to get going to find shelter before it became dark.
Of course she realized where she was. She was back in Narnia, it was no doubt about that. Why else would she be dressed in the same attire she had worn to classes that day? And where else would she be?
She was unsure of her whereabouts, however – was she even alive?
However, Susan Pevensie was not one to linger on meaningless questions. Her main concern now would be to find out where she was and where she was going. Stepping out of her heels, she carried them in her hands as she walked along the sands.
Her white blouse and black satin skirt would not provide much against the cold, though. She realized too she did not have any provisions. She only had… Well, herself.
Susan walked as she pondered on what to do next, when she heard a horse's squeal. A quite terrified one, at that, from some distance away.
Now alert, she stopped to listen. If her suspicions were right, she would encounter a talking beast and he or she might have been able to help her finding directions.
Susan soon heard the squeal again, followed by an impatient snort from behind two boulders ahead of her.
Running, she came to a stop once she found the creature behind the boulders.
The creature was not a horse at all – it was a pegasus, a winged horse. And a quite beautiful one at that: yet black, the pegasus' fur shone in the sunlight, but filthy in sea water and sand. Its wings were supposedly very large, but Susan couldn't tell exactly, seeing the animal was trapped in a fisher's net. Its hind legs were wrapped dangerously tight by the net's vicious grids. The wings too were trapped by the net, and the beast had no way of getting up. Its pure strength could make the fibres of the net bury itself into its skin if it dared break it. The animal seemed wise enough to know it shouldn't struggle. It did however, try to get its neck free from the net. It was halfway in the water too, and could drown if it got itself even more trapped than it already was.
Susan walked over to the pegasus, astonished by its beauty, but also feeling great sorrow at the poor animal's fate.
Lastly, the sight of the pegasus affirmed Susan's suspicions – she was indeed in Narnia.
"Oh my…" Susan whispered to herself as she carefully walked over to the pegasus.
Seeing the Daughter of Eve approach, the black beast dropped its ears back and bared its teeth at her with an angry snort. Susan stepped back and held her hands in front of her, raised.
"It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you," she said gently, hoping the beast understood. The beast attempted to stand, but quickly gave up from as the net had caught it too badly, and dropped its head on the sand, clearly giving up and accepting its fate.
"I want to help you, but I need something to help me cut the net. I will be back." Susan told the pegasus, dropped her shoes, and scurried to find a rock sharp enough to cut the fibres of the net.
Sure enough, she found a flint that would suffice as something as a knife and got to it.
"See, I'm going to help you, but I need you to lay still, so I don't cut you, alright?" Susan told the beast in a calming voice.
Unsure of the human, the beast stilled and did as it was told, but had its ears dropped back still.
Susan walked over to the pegasus with caution, wading through the water to cut the net wrapped viciously around it. "Easy now…"
Taking care to watch her feet in case the pegasus kicked out, she started to cut through the first grid. It was tiresome work, for she had to cut through for some time to get through the sturdy material. And yet, she did not give up, and as time went by, the animal relaxed as the human worked at the net to free it, reassuring it as she did.
Wet, covered in sand and with blisters covering her palms, Susan realized the pegasus started to help her where it could, by bending over for her, lowering its head, stretching out its leg and so on, much to her relief.
By the time the sun stood low on the horizon, Susan had cut through the last thread, and managed to drag it over the pegasus' back and unwrap its feet.
"I think that's it," Susan said, mostly to herself, and was relieved to see the animal now stand up and rid itself of the now useless fisher's net and trot up to the dry sand.
Stretching its wings and snorting harshly, the horse spun and bucked in bliss of being free of the contraption that had held it for so long. Nodding its head, the long, wavy mane and forelock shone in the orange hue of the sunset.
Susan smiled happily at the pegasus' gratitude of being free once again, and it was first now she saw how large the beast truly was.
Muscular, a craned, elegant neck of pure muscle, the pegasus carried itself with the utmost grace, and the wings, those magnificent wings, stretched far into the sky, doubling the height of the beast, which already stood so tall.
Susan admired the animal for some time, before the sun had set so low that she knew she had to get going. Turning to leave for the path, a female voice interrupted her actions; (calm voice like Galadriel's from Lord of The Rings)
"You have my thanks, Daughter of Eve." Susan turned to look at the pegasus, which looked at her with wise golden eyes, its ears perked forward.
"Sorry?" Susan asked, unsure if it was indeed the pegasus that had talked.
"You did not need to help me, and yet you did. You have a kind heart." The pegasus said.
Susan walked up to the beast:
"I didn't think you could talk," she said, a smile crossing her lush lips.
"I seldom have to."
A brief silence appeared between the two.
"What happened to you?" Susan asked, now intrigued by the pegasus. She had never seen one this close or spoken with one for that matter.
"I came to bathe to cool down in the mercilessly boiling sun, but were trapped in a fishing net that was illegally placed here this close to shore. I have been trapped for several days, and I am very tired and worn." The pegasus spoke. Susan was lucky to have arrived when she did.
The pegasus nodded: "You saved me, and for that, I am forever grateful."
Susan nodded back to the pegasus, feeling warmth spread in her heart.
"You are most welcome."
"How can I assist you? Surely you have come here by accident?" the pegasus asked the dark-haired woman, who followed the look of the pegasus. Yes, her clothes were now filthy, wet and slightly torn in places. Her tights too had a big hole along the side of her thigh.
"Err, let's call it an accident… I need to know where I am, can you tell me the time and place?"
The pegasus did not hesitate to answer.
"The Bight of Calormen, Narnian era of 2307," she replied. Susan did some quick calculations.
It had been 4 years since she was here last – meaning Caspian was probably, supposedly, hopefully still alive. She couldn't help her heart from making a quick jump at the thought… And she was too far away from Miraz's castle to walk on foot. A heavy sigh escaped her as she watched the sun go down the horizon.
"By the looks of your reaction to my answer, it seems you are displaced in comparison as to where you need to be, yes?" the clever pegasus wondered, making Susan cross her arms.
"The Telmarine Castle, do you know it?" Susan asked.
"Yes."
"It's too far to walk on foot without the right gear and supplies, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"Great."
A brief silence appeared once again.
"I am weary and need rest. If you should wish it, I can be of assistance; there is a place I know of, with food and shelter. I could take you there, and then on to the castle in the morning. By the looks of it, you need rest as well."
Susan dwelled a second on the offer, but realizing she had no other options, she accepted the offer. She walked up to the pegasus, grabbed a handful of her mane, and walked by her side into the soon darkening forest.
"Follow me, my Queen."
Susan looked at the beast, slightly stunned.
"How did you know I am a former Queen of Narnia?" she asked, her voice unsteady. The pegasus knickered amusedly.
"I remember you and your reign from the Golden Age."
Susan failed to do the math at this point, too taken aback at the pegasus' knowledge.
"But then… You must be over two thousand years old!" Susan replied, amazed at the incredible age.
The pegasus knickered again she they walked on.
"Three thousand and forty-one years to be precise," she chuckled and rustled her wings.
. . .
Meanwhile, Lucy and Edmund had found themselves in a nearby clearing in the dark forest, a campfire between them. Edmund was resting his back against a tree, eating cooked mushrooms on a stick. Lucy had been observant and found them some chanterelle to cook over the fire. It wasn't much, but it would get them by until morning.
"I wonder why we're back," Lucy said as she carefully cooked the mushrooms above the fire.
"As do I, but it's unlikely that we will find that out tonight." Edmund replied with a tired sigh.
Well, if not that, they had to find out something tonight; like what they would do once come morning. They were still hours away from Castle Miraz, and they didn't even know if they would find Caspian there, or at least someone they knew. And they had no idea what happened to Peter after all of this.
"I'm going to sleep on it, but I think finding the castle is our best shot at survival, Lu," Edmund explained, and even though she knew he was right, she couldn't help thinking if Peter too was out there somewhere.
A silence grew between the two siblings, only the soft crackle from the campfire could be heard, along with the occasional hoot from an owl further into the forest.
Just as Edmund was dozing off from the heat provided by the fire, a rustle of leaves and a crack of branch alerted both Pevensies. Having no weapons, Edmund had made a makeshift stake from an old branch, and he picked it up, ready to defend them, no matter how futile his weapon was.
Another branch was stepped on, and they soon realized that whatever was coming their way was human by the sound of the steps.
"Who's there?" Edmund called as his brown eyes darted from bush to bush.
"Edmund? Lucy, is that you?" a familiar voice called back. A smile crossed the faces on both Lucy and Edmund when they recognized who it was.
"Peter!" they called, and said person came into view. Cursing as a twig caught and tore his shirt, he strode over to them.
"Are you alright? I've been looking all day after you two! I saw the fire, and didn't know who you were, so I snuck up, and soon realized it was you, thank God," Peter said as Lucy came to hug him.
"We knew you were here! Thank goodness you're okay, Pete!" Lucy exclaimed, relieved to see her older brother was not harmed, spared a few cuts and bruises.
"We're alright… We're alright," Edmund sighed as he slid back down the tree again. Peter sat down to warm his hands by the fire, rubbing them vigorously before the flames. Lucy offered him the cooked mushrooms, which he bit down into with great hunger.
"I am so glad I found you two, and even better to know you're safe," Peter said with a slight mouthful of shrooms.
"Same with you, Pete. Now we can find the castle in the morning, and hopefully, we'll see familiar faces, maybe even Caspian," Edmund told him. Peter furrowed his brows in doubt.
"Don't get your hopes up, Ed. You remember the last time we were here," he explained, hinting to the last time, when over a thousand years had passed since their reign.
"It's our only shot, Peter. I have to hope; we have nothing without it," he said. Lucy said nothing but silently agreed with Edmund in this matter. A pang of grief hit her heart at the memory of Reepicheep, the friendly knight-mouse who had said the exact same thing on the Dawn Treader: 'We have nothing, if not hope, your Majesty."
. . .
Susan and the pegasus had been walking for quite some time until she led Susan away from the path, past a field of ferns and trees, before they found an old slope of boulders that made a cave at the bottom before them. It was overgrown with moss and alectoria, but it certainly made do as shelter for a short night. A small creek trickled before their feet, and Susan drank generously from it as the pegasus graced beside her.
When finished, the pegasus walked inside the tight space that made do as a cave and lay down.
"It's warmer inside here, your Majesty," she called after Susan, who briefly scanned the area for dangers. When she couldn't find anything to threaten their stay, she too, walked inside and sat down beside the pegasus. The latter sighed softly.
"You know, I didn't get your name, today," Susan observed, trying to make conversation. She was glad to be in company at this point. Spending a frosty night in a foreign forest could be frightening.
"Astraea, my lady," she replied, tucking her wings against her back. Susan shot her a smile in the darkness.
"I am thankful for your help, Astraea", Susan said sincerely, before she lay down on her side, facing the warmth radiating from the talking beast.
Astraea stretched a wing over Susan's tiny body to keep her warm throughout the night. Susan let out a tired sigh, grateful for the warmth the pegasus beside her provided. She was starting to get cold from the wet, thin clothes she was wearing, and with no shoes to speak of, her feet too would have suffered harsh cold if not for the large wing draped over her. Shuffling a bit closer to the warm beast, she quickly dozed off once she had gotten comfortable. The last thing she heard before sleep claimed her, was a deep rumble from Astraea's chest as she tucked her head beside Susan's side, keeping her safe and cocooned in warmth.
For now, they would sleep, but the next adventure would already await them once come morning.
And the question still stood clear: if and when they reached the castle, would their friend still be alive?
A/N:
And that is it! I hope you liked this chapter, I know I enjoyed writing it! It's simple, yes, and the plot isn't that complicated just yet. But, hold your horses, we will get there!
Until next we meet,
Dragon
