One Fine Day

Chapter 14

In the Valley

"Eustace!"

"Eustace!"

Caspian and I took turns calling out. Even Reep called out for Eustace, but his voice didn't carry as far. We'd been searching for an hour, at least, and so far we'd seen no sign of Eustace. There wasn't even a trace of a sign. In fact, there didn't appear to be any sign of anyone on this island but the three of us. I looked back at the forest behind us and could only barely see the way we'd come. Edmund was the better tracker.

"Worry not, Your Majesty, we shall find your kin soon enough," Reepicheep said.

I smiled reassuringly at Reep. "I'm sure we will."

"Perhaps Edmund and Aaralynn have had better luck," Caspian suggested.

I scoffed. "If I know my brother at all, finding Eustace is the farthest thing on his mind. Do you think it mere chance he and Aaralynn are in a group by themselves?"

Caspian smirked, but Reepicheep, ever the noble Mouse, didn't quite catch on. "Your Majesty," he said. "King Edmund has shown himself to be a man of great honour many times over. I am sure he is looking as diligently as the rest of us."

"Yes, Reep, I'm sure my brother is being quite diligent." I shared a look with Caspian as we allowed Reepicheep to have this moment.

"You know, Lucy, there is something I've been curious about," Caspian said as we continued our search. "The tales made no mention of it, but I am sure there are likely many things the tales do not mention. Was Edmund the only one?"

"The only one what? To get married you mean?"

"Yes. No. I mean, I'm sure if one of you were married it would have been in the tales. But surely you must have courted, right?"

I laughed. "Yes, Edmund was the only one of us to marry, but we all courted someone at some point. Susan had many suitors; I think it was fun for her. None of them were ever very serious though, especially not after Rabadash.

"And Peter…well Peter never really did court anyone. He was married to the crown as it were. We all had hoped that Myranda might change that."

"Who was she?"

"Myranda was the Princess, and for a short time, the Queen of Marchedia—now known as the Western March since its annexation. Many a pretty girl came to Narnia to try and turn the High King's head. Then along came Myranda—bold, brash, and beloved by her people—who didn't try at all, and yet she had the most success. We really all thought Peter would invite her to stay at the Cair, but when the time came he let her leave."

"Why did he do that, I wonder?"

"Well, if you asked Edmund he'd say it's because Peter is a dollop-head. As for me, well…like I said, Peter was married to the crown. He gave everything to Narnia and forgot what it was like to seek pleasure for himself."

"What about you? Did any brave knight find himself fortunate enough to court you?"

"One or two perhaps." I smiled whimsically. "And perhaps one or two my brothers didn't know about." I remembered one particular and fun Yuletide.

"Why do you ask these questions, Caspian? Is there some fair maiden back in Narnia you wish to court?" I asked, turning the table.

It was Caspian's turn to smile fondly. "Now, Lucy, I am a King of a rebuilding nation. When do I have time to court?"

I laughed, but studied him for any sign as to why he was asking. It was while I was watching him that I thought I saw something rise up in the distance.

"Your Majesty? Did you see something?" Reepicheep asked.

"I thought I might have…" I looked a bit longer but saw nothing more. "It must have just been a cloud."

"Hmm… yes it looks like it might rain soon. Perhaps we ought to start making our way back?"

"I think you may be right, Reep," Caspian agreed. "Lucy?"

"Oh, I hate to go back so soon, but we'll be no good if we get caught in the rain. Let's reconvene with the others and see if they have found anything."

Over and over we tumbled, kicking up an avalanche of loose rocks and dust that followed us down. Through it all, Edmund never let go of me, nor I of him. When at last we stopped rolling, we landed in a tangled heap at the bottom. Neither of us dared to move though until the avalanche had ended its course as well.

"Aaralynn," Edmund moaned. "You alright?"

I groaned in response. "I—I think so. You?"

Edmund pinched his eyes before replying. "I'm alright. Nothing's broken."

We were both still for a moment as we each tried to further asses our injuries. I could feel the sting of several abrasions and I knew bruises were quickly forming. My head ached and my ankle throbbed, but that appeared to be the extent of mine. When Edmund seemed content with his assessment he opened his eyes and looked up at me.

"Your lip," he said as he reached up and touched the tender spot. I flinched and pulled my lip in where I could taste iron. "Sorry."

"I must have knocked it on your head," I gently touched the spot just above his brow.

"If we were unsure before, there's our proof."

"What are you talking about?"

"My head is harder than your lips."

"Edmund, really…." I shook my head. "Everyone's known for years how hard headed you are."

Edmund laughed before contorting his face in pain.

"Are you alright?"

"Yeah, just sore, and…you're still lying on top of me."

"Oh, sorry…" I pushed myself up and moved to the side, my body screaming its protests as I did. Edmund followed suit. And though he didn't say anything, I could tell his body was fighting him too. As he sat across from me and pushed a hand through his hair, I took a look around us.

We were in a low lying valley with steep cliffs rising all around us. We had climbed much higher than I thought. That or we were much lower now than when we started. There was a pool of water, clean and clear, not far from us. And on the far side of the valley, behind Edmund, lay the opening of a cave; its mouth was dark with the secrets it kept.

"Peculiar," Edmund said, drawing my attention back to him.

"What is?"

"There doesn't appear to be any manner of life in this valley. Wait!"

"What?"

His eyes grew wide as he looked over my shoulder. "Don't…move…"he said slowly, but sternly and I knew I should not refuse.

"What is it?" I whispered as I worked to control my breathing and steady my pulse.

"Stay absolutely still." He slowly moved in closer; his eyes never leaving the target behind me.

Meanwhile my hand slowly slid to my side where I kept my sword. But it wasn't there. My eyes flicked to my left where I saw my sword lying out of reach and under a pile of rubble.

"Edmund…"

"Shh…"

Slowly his hand reached up to the space just above and behind my shoulder. I dared not to breathe as I contemplated what so foul a beast could have been so near me. Edmund just as slowly brought his hand back. And on it sat…

"A ladybug?"

"It landed in your hair," he replied with a smile.

"Edmund!" I shoved his arm as hard as hard as I could, but he simply laughed as the ladybug flew away. "Really! How could you?"

He continued to laugh rambunctiously. "You…you should…have seen…your face."

I shoved his arm again, but it did nothing to abate his laughter. He did, however, fall slightly to the side and that allowed me to see the cave behind him. There was something moving in the blackness. The cave was too dark to see much, but I knew something was coming out of it by the movement of the rocks at the entrance.

Two thin wisps of smoke were the first things to emerge. They were followed by a long lead colored snout, a long, scaled body, and long legs whose elbows extended higher than its back. I knew at once what it was.

"Dr—Dragon," I stammered.

Edmund laughed harder. "You'll have to do better than that love, if you want to fool me."

"No, Edmund," I turned his face towards the cave. "A Dragon!"

Edmund did something then that he rarely did. He swore. And just like that all trace of humor was gone.

"Look around, Aaralynn. Can you see a way out?"

I did as he said, slowly turning my head so as not to draw attention to our position. I was about to say 'no' when I suddenly spotted something.

"Yes. It's a little ways down, but the slope isn't as steep."

"Good. When I tell you to, you are to run for that spot, make your way back to camp, and warn the others."

"Hold on! You mean 'we' are to run for it."

"Aaralynn…"

"I won't leave you, Edmund. I can't."

"And I can't lose you, Aaralynn. Don't you understand that?" Edmund turned back around to face me. "Promise me you will leave."

"Edmund…" I began to cry. He grabbed both sides of my face and leaned his head against mine.

"Promise me, Aaralynn."

"Alright…I promise." He kissed my forehead.

"I love you."

"And I love you."

"On my mark then…" Edmund turned back towards the Dragon, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

The Dragon had continued its progression out of the cave, but it didn't seem to move like an ordinary Dragon. Its movements were sluggish and the smoke that left its nostrils was more like that of a fire near extinction.

"Are you ready," Edmund asked.

"Yes," I replied weakly.

Edmund better positioned himself to charge at the Dragon by bringing his knees up to his chest in a low crouch. I pushed past my pain and my fear and readied to sprint as well.

But Edmund never gave the command.

Suddenly, with a great release of air, the Dragon collapsed by the pool's edge and moved no more. Edmund and I held our breath was we watched and waited, but the Dragon did not stir. Neither was there any more smoke rising from its nostrils.

"Is…is it dead?" I asked.

"I'm not sure, but I don't much feel like sticking around to find out. Come on."

Edmund stood and held out a hand to help me up. The moment I put weight onto my ankle though, I cried out.

"What's wrong?"

"My ankle. I…I must have injured it in the fall more than I thought."

"Can you walk on it?"

I bit past the pain that was now shooting up my whole leg. "Yes…yes, I'll be alright. Let's go."

Together we made for the pass I saw and began climbing. It was a much harder climb than our first, and not long after we started it began to rain. It was a pouring rain too, the sort that soaked the body through in seconds. We both lost our footing several times and slipped, knocking hard into the rock wall. Edmund made it to the top first and pulled me the rest of the way.

We didn't take time to pause once we reached the top though. We began running through the forest at once. Edmund continued to hold my hand, pulling me along behind him. All the while, the pain in my ankle and in my leg spread through my whole body until it became unbearable.

"Wait…wait…I…can't…" I panted, my whole body shaking with pain. "Please…I need rest…"

"Alright," Edmund slowed down. "We'll rest here for a moment." He led me to a fallen tree so I could sit. "Are you alright? Tell me, what can I do to help you?" He reached for my face to push the wet hair away from my falling tears, but I shoved him away.

"Don't ever do that again!" I yelled.

"And what exactly did I do? Is this about the ladybug? It was a jest."

"Don't ever make me promise to leave you to certain death again."

Edmund breathed in and out for a moment before kneeling before me again. "Fine, I vow never to make you promise to leave me while I do battle alone with a Dragon."

"Edmund…"

"I will always put your life before mine, Aaralynn. Always," he interrupted me. "I can't lose you."

"I can't lose you either, Edmund. I can't…not again." My tears began anew, and this time they had nothing to do with my ankle.

Edmund pulled me to his chest. "I know," he said softly. "I know, and I'm sorry. Aaralynn, I…"

Edmund's words were cut off by a great cry emanating from the valley behind us. I pulled back from Edmund and looked into his eyes. We both knew what that sound meant.

"We've got to go. Are you alight?"

I pushed back the fear, the pain, and the worries of a wife. They would do me no good here. I needed the face of a Queen. I nodded my head.

"Can you stand?"

"Let's go," I said as I tried to stand up, but my ankle would not hold me and I fell forward. Edmund caught me.

"No then. Climb onto my back; I'll carry you." I knew it would do no good to argue with him, and I couldn't exactly offer that he leave me after I'd put up such a fight to not leave him. So I climbed on and held tight as he began to run through the forest once more.