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Note: Here it is, finally, the next chapter. I hope you like it!
It Started At The Creek
Chapter 3. Training and Horseback Riding
Edmund's POV
"Now block." I said, and she followed my instructions. I had been training her for about 3 weeks now, and Peter and Susan still weren't back. She was getting very good. I'll give her a few more weeks, and start training her to do two handed sword fighting... that should be interesting. While we were taking a break I decided to bring up the question I had been wondering about this whole entire time.
"Lucy, why do you even want me to teach you sword fighting?" I asked.
"I want to be able to defend myself." she replied.
"Isn't that what Peter and I for?" I asked.
"Well, yes, but..." she stopped to let the joke sink in as I snorted.
"What's the real reason?" I asked.
"If I tell you, do you promise not to freak out, or tell Peter and Susan?" she asked.
"Of course." I replied.
"Well, when I get big enough, I want to start going off to battle, and not just with a bow either, and the more training I have, the better." she replied.
"Well, that's more than likely true, but still, I don't know if you can go to battle." I said.
"Why not?" she asked.
"It's to dangerous. Susan never even goes to battle." I replied.
"That's Susan, I'm me. I don't care what Susan does. I want to go off to battle, once I'm big enough." she said.
"Lucy, I really don't know..."
"Ed, you said yourself I'm growing up. So in a few years I'll be big enough to go." she said.
"Well... I guess... maybe." I said.
"Oh thanks Ed!" she exclaimed.
"Alright, I think that's enough training for today." I said, picking up the swords.
"Alright." she said standing up.
We started back to Cair, and accidentally bumped into Mr. Tumnus, who looked stern.
"Uh.. hi... Mr. Tumnus." I stuttered.
"Where have you two been going the past few days?" he asked.
"Nowhere." I replied quickly.
"Nowhere huh? Lucy?" he asked.
"It's absolutely nothing." she replied quickly.
"If you say so." he said, walking off.
"Talk about to close for comfort! He almost found us out!" Lucy exclaimed.
"No kidding." I said, giving her a slight push to keep going.
"I wish we could go to the Great River. It's been over 4 weeks since we've last been." Lucy said a little later.
"I know. But someone has to watch Cair while Peter and Susan are gone." I replied looking up from my book.
"We just had to stay home they day before they left." she said looking over at me.
"I'm sorry. I didn't know they were going to be leaving for 3 weeks." I said.
"Why don't you two go on, I can hold down everything while you go and enjoy yourselves for a few hours." Mr. Tumnus said walking in the room.
"Really?" I asked.
"Of course. You are, after all, children. You'e got to enjoy yourself sometime." he replied.
"Oh thank you Mr. Tumnus!" Lucy exclaimed, leaching onto him. He gave an oomph and looked over at me. I rolled my eyes and walked over to them.
"Alright Lu come on, let's go." I said pulling her off of Tumnus.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she said.
"It's no problem." he replied.
"And Lucy, you better change. Susan would kill us both if she found out that you wore a velvet dress to the Great River." I said. We walked out of the room and as soon as I was sure Tumnus was out of earshot I whispered "Just put on the one you wore during training."
"Ok." she said skipping off down the hall. I shook my head and headed down towards the stable.
"Hello Phillipe." I said when I came to his stall.
"He lives." Phillipe joked.
"Yes I know it's been a while." I replied.
"Where have you been?" he asked.
"Well, Lucy and I have been having to take care of Cair since Peter and Susan are gone. But Mr. Tumnus said we needed a break, so he's letting us go to the Great River." I replied.
"Wonderful." Phillipe said, his eyes lighting up.
Lucy came down and walked over to Camille's stall. But her face dropped when she got there. She immediately rushed into the stall leaving the door open. I knew this has to be serious. I looked back at Phillipe, who looked concerned himself. Camille was the only other talking horse here, and his best friend, well, other than me of course.
"Ed, Camille's sick!" Lucy exclaimed. I walked into the stall and sure enough Camille didn't look like Camille, the happy bouncy horse I knew so well. She was laying down and breathing heavy.
"Camille have you been keeping something from us? Are you having a foal or something?" I joked. She gave me a look, but then smiled and shook her head. "Are you going to be ok?" I asked walking over and bending down, stroking her back.
"I'll be fine. It's just a cold." she replied.
"If your sure." I said.
"Yes, just make sure Lucy rides with you and Phil, I don't trust her with any other horse." Camille said.
"Hmmm, where have I heard that before?" I said.
"I HEARD THAT!" Phillipe yelled.
Camille shook her head and sighed. "Just go, and have fun." she said, pushing me with her nose.
"Alright we're going." I said.
"Bye Camey." Lucy said bending down and kissing Camille on the forehead.
I started saddling Phillipe as Camille and Lucy talked for a bit longer.
"Is she going to be ok?" Phillipe asked.
"Truthfully, I don't know. I hope she will be. I know it would kill Lucy inside if something did. " I replied.
Phillipe nodded his head. "She get's attached to people and things easily, doesn't she?" he asked.
"Very quickly, but that's just one of the things about Lucy. She trusts people, she get's to know them quicker, and she even forgives quickly to." I replied, looking down.
"Hey, buck up. That was a year ago, it's in the past now." he said giving me a shove with his nose.
"Still, I don't see how she does it." I said.
"Like you said, it's just one of the things about her." he said, giving me another shove.
"Right." I said, trying to push his head out of the way so I could finish tacking him up. "Would you move your big head?" I said standing back.
"What's the magic word?" he asked.
"Would you move your big head, please?" I asked.
"Alright then." he said moving his head out of the way. I finished tacking as quickly as I could, in case he tried again.
"Alright Lu I think we're ready. It would have gone quicker, had Mr. Phillipe cooperated." I said.
"It's fine. See you later Camille." Lucy said walking over. I mounted up, then helped her up behind me.
"Full blast Phillipe. Let's show this trotting queen what it takes to gallop." I said glancing at Lucy.
"Bring it on." she said.
"If you say so, but you may want to hold on." I said. I gave Phillipe a kick and he took off. Her grip on me didn't tighten or loosten. "Hmm, maybe she's a better rider than I thought." I mumbled, but she must have heard me because she chuckled.