Hee hee hee, this is probably one of my favorite chapters =).
Lucy shows a bit of her mischievous side, as does everyone else. It's just something to vex Peter a little- because he isn't stressed enough right now, right?
Anyway, enjoy, and, as always... PLEASE REVIEW =D.
Chapter 5: A Night on the Beach
Amber sighed and sat back contentedly, eyeing the remaining people in the room. Corin was sitting with his arms crossed, bored. Susan was sitting with her chin on her hands, thinking about Rabadash. Lucy bad returned to her book, and Edmund had gone back to the window. She almost fell asleep again, but she suddenly remembered her promise from the night before.
"Lucy, do you have anything that can aid in a good night's sleep?" she asked. "An herb or something?"
"There are plenty of herbs for sleeping aids," Lucy said, "but I don't like using them; they make you sleep deeply, and nothing can really wake you; besides, if you do happen to wake before they wear off, you remain groggy. But luckily, there's another remedy here in the Cair that works just as well."
"Really? And what might that be?" Lucy's eyes brightened.
"Go sleep on the beach!"
"What?"
"Oh, let's!" Corin said, perking up. "We should all go down, get a fire going, and sleep on the beach!"
"Wait. Lu, how is that a remedy for lack of sleep?" Amber was thoroughly confused.
"The Merpeople sing all night," Lucy said fondly. "And if you lie on your back by a fire, just staring at the stars, listening to the waves crashing on the beach, and the Merpeople serenading the Moon, you will fall into the best sleep you've ever experienced."
"And how would you know this, Lu?" Edmund asked. "I can't recall having ever slept on the beach, and I know that Peter wouldn't let you go down there on your own."
"Who said Peter let me do anything?" Lucy's eyes glinted mischievously. "Sometimes I just don't ask; then he can't say no, can he?"
"Not unless he finds out," Amber said. "Which he very well might!"
"So take Peter out of the equation," Lucy said. "If he wasn't a factor, would you go down with me? I'm planning on going down to the beach tonight, anyway."
"Me, too!" Corin said. Amber rolled her eyes; she was pretty sure that Corin had had no such inclination before Lucy'd mentioned it.
"You expect me to stand by and let my little sister and our young guest go down to the beach on their own?" Edmund asked. "You've got another thing coming, Lu."
"So you'll come, too?" Lucy smiled triumphantly. Edmund sighed, not really caring to back out of the trap he'd gotten himself into.
"If you're bound and determined, I guess I have no choice," Edmund said. Amber glared at him. He held his hands up helplessly, as if to say, 'Hey, they got me.'
"Then that just leaves you and Susan," Lucy said smugly.
"What?" Susan jumped. She hadn't been paying attention to the whole conversation.
"Are you coming down to the beach with us?" Corin asked. "We're sleeping outside tonight."
"Oh… sure, I guess. Has Peter said it was okay?"
"What Peter doesn't know won't hurt him," Lucy intoned. Susan's eyes glinted, and she smiled.
"Well, in that case, I'd love to go sleep on the beach tonight." All eyes turned to Amber.
"Come on, Amber, you're the whole reason we're going down there!" Lucy begged. Amber sighed, defeated.
"Then I suppose I can't really decline, can I?" Amber really didn't mind going down. On the contrary, all of them enjoyed rebelling against the High King's authority every once in a while. Each of them knew that Peter would kill them if they were caught down there without his permission; that was what made the excursion so fun. "Let's all go get ready. Susan, will you go down and get something from the kitchens to roast? I'd go, but… I've sort of been banned from the kitchens by your dear brother."
"And for good reason!" Edmund defended. "You nearly killed me last time!"
"Oh, it wasn't that bad, Ed," Lucy said. "You've been worse off. You just like giving our Lady a hard time, that's all!"
"No, on this occasion, I heartily agree with King Edmund. Not for nothing is he called King Edmund the Just; I burned his arm and gave him food poisoning. The punishment: a lifelong ban from the kitchens." Everyone laughed at the memory as Susan left. "Lucy, you and I will get blankets while the boys go down and collect firewood. There should be a merry fire going when we get down there, your Highnesses." Amber took charge once she was on board. She tended to do this in many cases. No one really minded; Amber was the most organized, anyway (she swore it had something do to with her being left-handed, and I am rather inclined to agree with her). She had an air about her that challenged anyone to disobey her- this was how she kept the peace among the Pevensie siblings.
Amber and Lucy stole quietly through the castle, collecting camping blankets. After having talked it over, the girls decided that it would be much more fun to use the smaller blankets, and use the sand as a bed, rather than drag the cushions that would have normally been used. They met up with Susan just before exiting the castle. The three girls ran along the beach, kicking off their shoes, toward the campfire that the boys had started.
"We've brought provisions," Amber said, tossing two blankets at them. Susan dumped the contents her large bag onto her own blanket. Lucy squealed with excitement as the food tumbled out. There were peppers, tomatoes, bananas, apples, a pineapple, and all manner of things that taste good over a fire.
"We'll have to get drinks out of the spring," she said. "I didn't think of getting water until I was halfway to the door."
"That's alright," Corin said, making a shish kabob out of the fruits. "I don't think we'll need it. These fruits are so juicy!" The five laughed and talked for a little while, but then Corin started to yawn. Lucy was next, then Amber, then Edmund.
"I think it's time to go to sleep," Amber said. "Or at least to lay down." Everyone agreed sleepily, and simply lay down where they were. Amber transformed into a Tigress, as she normally did at night, and circled around, making a crude nest-like bed. She completely ignored her blanket; her fur kept her warm enough. She listened contentedly to the waves crashing on the shore. When everyone had quieted down, she could even hear the Mermaids singing. She let her thoughts take their own course as she drifted off. The songs of the Merpeople were haunting, and beautiful. They almost made her want to get into the water and join them, but she was too tired. Finally, after what seemed like ages (but what could have really been only a few minutes), Amber fell asleep.