I really need to stop shutting myself into the wardrobe...

Wow. It's been a while since I updated this story. College decided to take over my life, so I've not had any time to write! Now that I'm on spring break, I've finally been able to crank out the update everybody's been waiting for, so I hope it's worth the wait! Happy reading! :)

Chapter 10: At Long Last

The camp seemed to hold its breath as Oreius nodded at the boy, his hooves plodding into the ground with backward steps. I could hardly believe what I was seeing. I looked at Rhydian out of the corner of my eye, and it was clear that he was just as swept away as I was.

Years of waiting. Years of suffering. Years of tyranny, of oppression, of cold. Now, finally, at long last, our salvation had jumped from the pages of the prophesy. It stood twenty meters in front of us, wrapped in shining young eyes and fresh young faces. I was so excited that I was trembling, and to this day I swear Geraint was, too, though if asked about it, he would always deny it.

The crowd around us bowed in a flourish of creaking leather and clanking armor and armaments. Darien's head lowered towards the ground, and Geraint and I both bowed our heads. I heard tent flaps come open, the soft padding of Aslan's paws on the grass accompanying it.

I hardly dared to move. My child's mind feared that what it was seeing would all disappear if I so much as blinked.

Aslan's authoritative voice echoed across the plain:

"Welcome Peter, Son of Adam. Welcome Susan and Lucy, Daughters of Eve."

Peter. Susan. Lucy. I'd never heard names like that. Nor did I think such different names could sound so sweet.

"And welcome to you, Beavers," Aslan continued. "You have my thanks." His eyes darkened sadly. "But where is the fourth?"

My heart fell to my toes. My eyes scanned over the tops of the newcomers' heads, russet and dark brown and gold. I blinked. There were only three.

"That's why we're here, sir," the boy, Peter, explained. "We need your help."

"We had a little bit of trouble along the way," the dark haired girl – I wasn't sure if it was Susan or Lucy – added.

"Our brother's been captured by the White Witch."

The entire camp collectively gasped. Geraint sighed behind me. Rhydian's face fell. I felt sick.

"Captured?" Aslan repeated. "How could this happen?"

One of the Beavers stepped up. "He... betrayed them, Your Majesty."

A disturbed murmur echoed through the camp. My jaw fell open. What?

Oreius's eyes flashed. "Then he has betrayed us all!" he thundered.

"Peace, Oreius," Aslan cut in, a hint of a Lion's roar in his throat. "I'm sure there's an explanation."

I saw Peter's shoulders sag. "It's my fault, really," he said remorsefully. "I was too hard on him."

The dark-haired girl laid a hand on his shoulder. "We all were."

"Sir," the younger of the two girls begged. "He's our brother."

"I know, dear one," Aslan commiserated. "But that only makes the betrayal all the worse."

Hot fear spread from my chest, flushing my face and singing the tips of my fingers. I felt Geraint's hands on my shoulders. We exchanged worried glances and looked ahead.

Aslan bowed his head. "This may be harder than you think."

Geraint blew out a steady breath. Rhydian held his face in his hands. They both looked frightened, and even though I was, too, I steadily felt angrier.

"Harder?" I whispered. "He's Aslan. He can do anything. Why would it be so hard for him? The Witch already fears him. If I'm honest, sometimes I do, too, because of her. But—" I stopped myself.

Geraint sighed. "We'll see," he said slowly.

A new thought rose into my mind. "But... when the fourth does come back..." I sighed. "Geraint, what if they don't accept him? You saw how they reacted to us. It took us years to gain their trust! The Witch's army grows every day. We don't have that long!"

"Peace," Geraint hushed. "We were defectors. He's been seduced. There's a large difference, Renn."

I shook my head. "But—"

"Speak no more of it, little sister," Geraint soothed. "If Aslan can forgive us, he can forgive anyone."

I knew he was right. As far as the Narnians were concerned, my brothers and I were the most black-hearted beings that could have existed, right under our mother. It had taken them a long time, but they treated us as some of their own now. They hadn't been waiting for us. They had been, however, waiting for them, waiting for him. We were a few extra sets of hands, but him?

Their salvation – our salvation – rested on his shoulders.

We needed him too badly for them not to forgive him.

Since I was very young, I'd been cursed with shyness. Rhydian and Geraint, on the other hand, definitely had not been.

Introductions had never been a real skill of mine – they still aren't – though I thoroughly chastised myself for dragging so far behind them. We made our way through the camp in a line, Rhydian and Geraint taking up the front with me nervously edging up behind him.

Rhydian carefully stepped behind a large tent that sat by the river, where the three newcomers sat, quietly conversing amongst themselves. The youngest of the three – the girl with short, red hair – smiled up at us.

"Hello, there," she greeted cheerfully, standing. Now that I could see her face, I realized that she was only a year or two younger than I was.

Rhydian inclined his head, trying with everything in him to stand on ceremony. "Welcome, Your Majesties," he started. "Comfortable?"

The girl grinned. "Most," she assured. "Your friends have been nothing but lovely to us since the minute we arrived." She eyed him for a second. "What's your name?"

Rhydian smiled. "I'm Rhydian. This is my brother Geraint, and our sister, Renn. If we are to serve under you, I deemed it fit to come and introduce ourselves."

"Pleased to meet you," the girl responded, still smiling warmly. "I'm Lucy Pevensie."

So the younger of the two girls was Lucy, and the older was Susan. And their brother's name was Peter. I wondered what they called the fourth.

Lucy stretched out her hand to Rhydian, and all three of us stared at if for a second.

"Oh," Lucy laughed, a hint of I've-been-here-before etched into to the little laugh that escaped her lips. "You shake it. I wish I could tell you why, but..." Her voice trailed off, and her brow furrowed. "No one ever told me."

Rhydian grinned, clasping her tiny hand in his large, calloused one and giving it a firm squeeze. "We're honored to finally have you among us."

Lucy smiled. "Come, sit. We've got plenty of food." She turned around, the skirt on her new, sky blue dress ruffling around her ankles. "This is Susan, and this is Peter."

"Hello," they greeted in unison, both of them smiling a little as they stood.

Rhydian and Geraint acclimated almost immediately, asking about the journey and swapping stories with Peter and Susan. I was content to sit and watch for a moment. Rhydian tested Peter's sword, drawing it from its sheath and swinging it around in the air in front of him. A smile split his face.

"This is a good sword," he said, a calloused hand holding the hilt back to its owner. "Well-balanced. It will have a strong bite, no doubt."

Peter silently nodded, returning the weapon to its sheath. I couldn't help but notice he looked a little uncomfortable.

"I guess we'll see, won't we?" he said.

Rhydian smiled. "Once we've taught you to properly wield it. Oreius will take care of that. He taught me to handle a sword, and Geraint how to shoot. He's as proficient as he is wise. You'll like him."

Susan turned to Geraint. "You're an archer?" she asked.

Geraint nodded. "I am."

"And a deadly one, at that." Rhydian affirmed, clapping Geraint on the back. "Could hit a bird's eye in the dark. While on the back of a moving horse."

Geraint, ever modest, rolled his eyes and scoffed, grinning at his toes. He nodded towards Susan's ivory quiver, which leaned up against the side of the tent. "Is that yours?" he asked.

Susan nodded. "I hope I don't have to use it."

Geraint sighed. "So do I." He nimbly stepped across the grass, sitting down beside her. "But, just in case you had to, I could show you a few things, if you like. It's not so hard, once you get the hang of it. And you look to be just the person for it."

Susan slowly smiled. "Thanks," she said.

The other five talked on, swapping stories of their journeys. Still content just to sit and listen to them, I started to notice different things about them. Peter looked to be about Rhydian's age, maybe a half a year younger, while Susan was closer to Geraint's. Peter seemed to be about as stalwart as they came, Susan as smart, and Lucy as kind. I'd barely said anything to them – I found myself at a sickeningly shy loss for words – and I already liked them.

Though, the more I took in, the more I found myself wondering what the fourth would be like, once we found him. Was he fair-haired like Peter and Lucy, or dark-haired like Susan? Was he more prone to thinking out loud or carefully reaching a conclusion before he could let himself talk? What skills did he have? How old was he? What was his name? Was he even—

My stomach suddenly flipped.

Was he even still alive to answer all those questions? I certainly hoped he was.

"Well, what about you, Renn?" Lucy asked, pulling me from my thoughts. "What do you do?"

I stared at her for a second, blinking. "I'm sorry?"

"Rhydian's a swordsman; Geraint's an archer. But we haven't heard anything about you."

"Oh," I said, slightly embarrassed. "I'm a healer of sorts. I've not done too much yet."

Lucy nodded, smiling. "Then we'll learn together." She pulled a small bottle from her belt, gently placing it into my hand. "That cordial can heal anything, though I think it ought to be saved for special occasions. I don't want to waste it on something small."

I smiled a little bit. "I'll have to introduce you to Bronwyn sometime. She's taught me everything I know so far."

"I'd like that."

My smile widened a little bit. "First chance I get."

"Peter," a voice gently called from behind us.

We all turned, and Aslan stood by the riverbank, gently looking up at us.

"Will you join me for a moment?" he asked.

Peter nodded, standing as his fingers traced over his sword hilt. The two rounded the corner of the tent, heading up towards the cliffside.

Rhydian sighed, also standing. "Well, brother," he said. "I've got a few more fights to throw in before the sun sets, and I know you're marks to hit. We should probably be heading out."

Geraint nodded, unfolding his long legs and rising. "It's been a pleasure and an honor, Your Majesties," he said, slinging his quiver onto his back. "I've got to go get in some more practice." He smiled and inclined his head slightly. "I'll see you soon."

"Are you going, too, Renn?" Lucy asked.

I shook my head. "I'll keep you company for a while," I said, strength coming into my voice as I gained confidence.

Lucy grinned. "Well good, then," she said warmly, shuffling around to sit next to me as Susan stood and watched my brothers leave.

"I'll have to tell you about Edmund."