DISCLAIMER: I do not own anything related to The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S Lewis.

Author's Note: Hello readers (is there anyone even there?). So... First, a big, HUGE apology to anyone who started reading this story only to be abandoned by me. I must admit my only excuse is that my life moved away from this world of fanfiction. I started university in 2015 and got new friends, a new place to live, a new outlook on life and just couldn't keep up with FF . net. In the last two and a bit years (oh god, has it really been that long!?) I've really grown up in several big ways but for a couple of reasons, have found myself in a similar place to where I was when I started working on FF . net. Let's just say, right now, this really feels like the best place for me to be. So, if you'll have me, I'd like to present the 8th chapter. Please enjoy! - Cloey van Zyl

Chapter 8

Kind Edmund and I were sitting on the bank of the river one day, talking.

"Are you coming with us to the Lone Islands?" Edmund asked me. Lucy, Peter, Susan and Edmund were going on a journey to the newly re-conquered Lone Islands. King Peter had visited them and recently turned them from wild lands after the reign of the White Witch to free and happy islands again. Some of the inhabitants had become cruel towards the others and enforced slavery. Peter, on a voyage across the seas, had found the islands in a bad state. He had taken control and abolished the slavery; setting the slaves free and electing a new mayor. Now, after a month or two, Peter intended to go back to visit his newly freed people. Lucy had declared that she wished to go too and now all four siblings were planning to go, as well as a large party of guests and dignitaries. I wanted desperately to go too, I longed for some adventure, but I wasn't sure if Lucy would think to invite me along. Edmund had caught me by surprise with his question. Why did he ask me? Did he know I wanted to go so badly? For some reason, I felt embarrassed.

"I don't know, Lucy hasn't asked me to go with her."

Edmund looked at me, "Do you want to come?" His question was direct and I thought I had better be truthful.

"Yes, I've never traveled in my life and I want to see different places." My voice held my longing and Edmund seemed to notice.

"You've really never traveled anywhere?" he was surprised and he looked at me with raised eyebrows.

"Never, all of my years have been spent here. Working in the palace is the most exciting thing I've ever done."

"I'm sorry to hear it. I was not born in Narnia and even I've traveled around it." A spiteful voice answered in my head, That's because you are a man. But I didn't say that to him. Instead I settled for, "That's because you are a King. I am a water nymph and have no reason to travel far from my home." He looked away and out at the water.

"I'll invite you to come with us to the Lone Islands." I looked at him in surprise.

"But surely Lucy must-", he cut me off though.

"Lucy must nothing. I'm a King, I can invite my friends if I want. Lucy won't mind anyway. You're her best friend and she'll just be embarrassed she didn't invite you earlier." His voice seemed rather annoyed and final. I didn't respond, instead we sank into a silence.

He was the one who broke the silence, "Mitha, may I ask how old you are?" He looked at me with a calm face but I was taken by surprise at the odd question.

"I'm fifty one years old," I thought I had better ask him as well, "How old are you King Edmund?" He smiled. "I'm twenty one years old. It is strange how you don't age after fifty years. All grown water nymphs look no older than twenty. How long do water nymphs usually live?"

"Normally three hundred to four hundred years. How long do humans live?"

"We live until we are anything from eighty to hundred years." I looked at him with obvious surprise in my eyes and voice, "Your lives are so short! How can one live a full life in only eighty years?"

He laughed, "I do not know, but I am only twenty one and have already fought in at least four battles, become a King, met Aslan and have lived in Narnia for eight years. Back in my old world, that would be considered a very full and complete life. Even here in Narnia, if I were to die right now I would not mind. I have had a great life and am content." I thought about what he said for a moment before answering, "How unfair it is then that I have lived for more than double your lifetime yet have done nothing. If I were to die right now, I would be extremely disappointed. I still have so many things I want to do in my life but there seems to be no way I can do them."

He pursued the subject, "What do you want to do in life that you think you cannot do?"

I had no trouble in answering immediately, "I want to travel and see Narnia. I wouldn't mind seeing Aslan again. I want to fall in love; get married. I want to... I don't know, find adventure." Again there was silence for a minute or two. Edmund again broke the silence.

"Well, I don't know about the other stuff, but I'll make sure you travel and see Narnia, Mitha."

True to Edmund's word, the next morning, as I was doing Lucy's hair, she brought up the subject with a rather annoyed voice, "Mitha, why didn't you tell me you wanted to come with us to the Lone Islands? I never even thought to ask you because I thought it was obvious you would come. Is Edmund a better friend to you than I am, that you can talk about things like that with him and not me?" she looked almost hurt and I felt embarrassed for not talking to her about it.

"I don't know Lu, I just thought maybe you didn't want me there or something and that's why you didn't ask me. I wasn't going to mention it to anyone but Kind Edmund brought it up and I was truthful and said you hadn't asked me therefore I assumed you didn't want me to come with. And no, the King is not a better friend to me than you are, you know that Lucy! You're my best friend."

She looked into the reflection of the mirror at me and smiled, "I am," it was a statement, "so next time assume you're coming with me. Can you just imagine how boring it would be without you?" her voice held a playfully dramatic tone and I laughed at her.

That evening, just before dinner, King Edmund found me on the way down to the kitchen. He stopped and, to my surprise, pulled me to side of the corridor.

"I spoke to Lucy about the Lone Islands. Has she spoken to you?"

"Yes, she talked to me this morning. She said she thought I would assume I was coming along."

He smiled at me, "She almost cried from guilt when I told her that you thought she didn't want you to come with. I'm glad you're coming, you'll finally have some adventure." he started to walk away before I thought I had better say something.

"Thank you, King Edmund," I added a smile as he looked over his shoulder at me.

He seemed almost amusedly surprised at me saying thank you and gave a chuckle as he replied, "You're welcome, Mi," before walking away down the corridor.

When I told my family the next afternoon that I was going to the Lone Islands with the royal party, my parents told me not to go, that it would dangerous, that anything to go wrong and that if something were to happen to me, they would never forgive the royals. I laughed off their warnings and comments and focused on my sisters' interested but not jealous talk. It seemed I was a weird and unordinary water nymph because my parents had made it very clear that they would never like to travel as I did, and though Jardia and Ilise were happy for me, they also pronounced that they would never like to travel to such dangerous and scary places but were far more content to stay at home where it was safe.

Author's Note: I'm posting a bunch more chapters so please read on! If you have some time, I would love to hear from you in the comments. Thanks for reading! -CVZ