Chapter Ten
Beach Fun

Sarah ran from ran from Mark as she splashed water at her. She had kicked off her boots, rolled up her pants and taken off her bodice and was enjoying the waves lapping at her feet when her boyfriend started to attack her. For his part Mark just grinned and dodged any attempt she made at splashing him back.

Running from the water where the waves no longer reached she thought she was safe but she was wrong. Mark came after and tackled her to the ground. She was laughing until he covered her mouth with hers. It was a long and passionate kiss. While she was not unfamiliar with his lips, such emotion behind them was new. He had not even kissed her like this when they were reunited just over a month ago.

When he pulled away, he was looking down at her searching her face. Sarah just grinned back at him. "What was that for?" she asked, curious as she lay back on the sand.

"I just wanted to let you know that I am still your boyfriend," he replied, lying on his side in the sand next to her. His hand found one of her hand and he entwined his fingers with her small ones.

She couldn't help but laugh. "I know that."

He smiled. "Yes, but some people need reminding, like that Peter." He said the name as if he was talking about a disgusting bug.

"Peter? Oh, please." She couldn't help but roll her eyes at him.

"Well, you may not need reminding, but he certainly does," Mark said. "You should have seen they way he was looking at you."

She shook her head, still disbelieving. "Seriously, you don't have to worry." Turing on to her side to face Mark and push his hair back, letting her fingers linger in his dark locks. "I barely know the guy. He just happened to be there and listen to me when I hashed it out with Ulley. Haven't seen him in two months."

This seemed to relieve her boyfriend. "Good. I'd hate to have to hurt they guy." She just rolled her eyes again. What she didn't realize was that he was serious.

The couple sat on the beach, enjoying the sun. Sarah took of her tunic and was only in her undergarment, which looked very similar to a tank top. Something else she had Wynn make for her to her specifications. Mark meanwhile took of his own tunic and had his pant rolled up to his knees. His shoes had long since been cast aside.

"Let's go swimming," Mark said suddenly, pulling Sarah up with him. He flashed a dazzling smile and she couldn't help agree.

They at first just played in the water, going so far that Sarah was waist deep. Once they their bodies above the water were soaked they went farther out and attempted at some body surfing. They weren't very good at it at first but after a short time they found their own techniques of riding the waves in using their bodies.

Once they grew hungry they got out of the water and went to their horses to get the food they brought. Sarah had made sandwiches, or at least what could be considered sandwiches. They had no mayonnaise or mustard for their bread, but they did have butter and while it wasn't what they were use to spreading on their sandwiches they made due. She had gotten a hold of some from their breakfast that morning and had placed it between the slices of bread. Not the best sandwiches in the world, but it filled their bellies. Water from their canteens help wash is down.

They waited what they felt like was an hour after eating before going into the ocean once more. For Sarah it felt like any other time she had gone to the beach. Save there were a lot less people (well, no one else really) to fight for a good spot, the ocean cleaner and of course she was in a different land. World actually. She had come to accept that this wasn't a dream anymore, especially after Mark turned up.

He had apparently been dropped in Narnia at the same time as her. Instead of being found by an Animal like she had, he had been found by a merchant who use Mark as a helper to sale his wares. The man traded far and wide and when his trade brought him to the market at Cair Paravel they found each other. He was selling leather goods to a Nymph, who was obviously trying to flirt with him to no avail. She had come up to his stand, without even seeing him, and asked to see some belts. Mark had looked over at her, told her it would be a moment, did a double take and then to the chagrin of the Nymph reached over the display between them, took Sarah's face between his hands and kissed her. They hadn't been separated since.

"Just a few more goes," Sarah said, noticing the sun just starting its decent as they swam out again. Mark nodded in agreement.

They went out a little farther this time, as the waves seemed to be starting further out now. The water was deep here as she could barely touch the sandy floor with her toes. Mark seemed to have no problem with reaching the bottom or if he did he didn't indicate it by treading water like she was.

They waited and watched as a wave came. It was huge and while Mark tried to make for it Sarah ducked underwater to save herself from being trampled by it. Ducking under the water with a hand clamped over her nose and eyes closed were not enough. She felt the current from the wave catch her and Sarah was tossed and rolled under the water. It was very disorientating as she wasn't sure what was up or down. Thankfully, when she kicked out her leg she felt the sand below her and she pushed up. What she found on the surface she did not like. Mark was on the beach-scanning horizon in the last spot he had seen her and she was very far to the right of him and very far out from where she last remember being.

"Mark!" she yelled, treading water and waving her hands. He didn't see her. She yelled his name a few more times until he finally spotted her. To her it looked like he was yelling something to her but it was lost over the waves of the ocean. He waved to her and then started back for the horses it looked like. 'He's going for help,' she thought. Good, maybe he could find someone with a boat. Soon. She had never conditioned her body to swim for long and she could already feel her legs grow tired with treading the water. She watched as Mark got on his horse and he rode off.

Sarah's legs grew tired quickly but she kept them moving despite her muscles burning. Desperately she wanted to lie on her back and float but she knew that wouldn't be wise seeing as the current would draw her more north. Her arms grew tired after a while too, as she tried to use them the most when swimming back, against the current, to the spot she felt she had last seen Mark at. She realized then that probably wasn't that great of an idea as her arms then grew tired and screamed at her when ever she used them. Still she kept moving to stay afloat and prayed that Mark would make it back in time.

She was surprised at how quickly the sun went down in the sky, how quickly the water grew cold and how willing she was becoming in being taken out to sea. Perhaps a passing boat would find her or she'd find some random sandbar to rest on. That sounded very nice.

Sarah was not paying attention as a large wave came crashing down upon her. She didn't fight this time and just curled up into a ball letting her body roll with the current under the water.

"You give up too easily, young one," a voice said. It filled her with warmth, love and hope. She opened her eyes to find herself on a grassy field. A large lion lounging before her where she laid curled up in a ball still. "Have faith," the Lion said.

"Where am I? Am I dead?" she asked, looking around and only found more grass and a cliff behind her. She scooted away from the cliff. The sun shined brightly and covered her body in warmth.

The Lion seemed to smile at her. "No. Not dead. I have called you here because I am puzzled."

Sarah looked back at the Lion. "Puzzled?"

He nodded. "Yes you see, when people come into Narnia I have either called them for a purpose or I allow them to stumble here on accident." He titled his head and his mane shook and Sarah had the urge to reach out and take a handful in her hands. But he was a Lion, albeit one that could talk and she was just a little scared of him, though her mind told her that she had no need to be. "For you Sarah Eagleson, Daughter of Eve, neither of those applies."

She blinked. "You know my name?"

"I know a great deal," he said simply his golden eyes capturing on to hers. She felt that as if he saw past her face, deep into the hidden recesses of her mind and soul. She could hide nothing from him and this actually gave her comfort. "That is why I have brought you here to my Country, for the Deeper Magic is at work."

"Deeper Magic?" she asked. Magic wasn't real, was it?

"Yes, though perhaps I should not call it the Deeper Magic." And he smiled, she hadn't been aware that Lions could smile without looking threatening but he did. "The Deepest Magic of all it is. So be it." The Lion rose and she did the same. "Come forward, young one." And without hesitation she went to him till she was just a handbreadth from him.

"Who are you?" she asked, thought she felt she knew the answer before He spoke.

"I am Aslan, King over all Kings, and Son of the Emperor-Beyond-the-Sea." He placed His nose on her forehead and breathed on her. She felt an overwhelming sense of peace come over her, great love radiate from Him and her strength return to her. "I shall return you where I found you," He said, "and I feel upon your return your destiny in Narnia shall truly begin. I am eager to see what you shall make of it. Now, close your eyes."

Sarah did and the next thing she knew she came busting out of the surface of the water. She looked around and found no Lion, no grassy place to rest. Her mind immediately wanted to tell her it was a dream, a delusion she conjured up from being scared. Her soul told her otherwise.

Another wave over came her and she was tossed about once more and she fought it this time and found her restored strength quickly leave her as the water tried to take her again. She couldn't get above the surface, couldn't find the right way to swim. Sarah was running out of air quickly. Something grabbed around the waist and pulled her up to the surface and pulled her, very fast, in the water. She opened her eyes and saw a great fish tail and looking at the arm she found there was a fin coming off the arm. She realized she was not facing shore so she looked behind her. Her rescuer's body was mostly under the water and they were racing to a figure on the beach that was flinging off their cape, tunic and shoes on the beach, running while they were doing so. The person, a man, met them halfway.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you," he said taking Sarah in his arms. She couldn't see him clearly; the seawater clung to her lashes and blurred everything. The merperson, for that's what she thought what her rescuer was, said something in reply. The man continued to repeat his thanks as he lifted her out of the water. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

Placing her on dry sand she felt the last of the sun's warmth on her back and realized that she was very cold. The man came back, sat next to her and pulled her into his lap, wrapping his arms around her and a cloak around both of them. She felt a chill run through her body that had nothing to do with her being cold. The water on her lashes had dried and she saw she was leaning against his bare chest – a very warm bare chest at that.

Pulling her arms close to her chest she snuggled closer to him, trying to capture all the heat she could, resting her head near the hallow of his neck. In turn he tightened his arms around her and rested his chin on her head. She closed her eyes for a moment, knowing that this should embarrass her but felt nothing of the sort. His hands rubbed her arms and back trying to get her warm.

"Next time you decided to go swimming I am going to make sure that you are tethered to a boat," Peter joked, speaking into her hair. She had known it was Peter as soon as he lifted her out of the water. She did not feel at all disturbed that it was Peter that held her and not Mark, thought she couldn't say why.

"D-did Aslan send you?" she stuttered out. She laughed at herself, as it appeared she was still a little too cold to speak.

While she could not see it she could hear the smile in his voice when he replied. "No, but I did find the mermaid that brought you to me. I was ready to swim out to get you myself, but she was quicker." He paused as he wrapped the cloak around them tighter still. "I'm glad she was, or else I wouldn't have made it to you in time," he confessed. "You nearly gave me a coronary, second person to do so since I've come to Narnia."

They were silent for a while. She felt her eyes start to drupe. Sleep sounded very good to her at the moment and her entire body agreed. "Who was the first?"

"Hmm?" he mumbled into her hair still, sounding as if his thoughts were elsewhere.

"Who was the first that nearly gave you a coronary?" she asked, and laughed at using the last word. It felt funny to say that instead of "heart attack".

He lifted his head from hers and looked down at her. "That would be my younger brother. Almost died in a battle we fought, luckily my youngest sister was there and was able to save him."

She was going to ask why they were in a war and how their younger sister could save his younger brother but the war she had been fighting with her eyelids finally ended and she fell asleep.

Sarah would vaguely remember being coxed on to the back of his horse, the cloak enveloping her. How he sat before her and when she wrapped her arms around his waist her skin brushed against cloth instead of his bareback. She would never remember what time of day it was by the time they left the beach or if the ride back home was quick or slow

The only thing she would remember clearly was that there, upon Peter's horse with arms wrapped around him she felt like she was home.