SEVEN:
Susan combed her black hair looking at the mirror and sighed. What if Narnia was not over? What if she can give it a second chance?
The train moved fast and steady as Camile rested her eyes. She was alone, until Edmund joined her. He sat quietly in the opposite chair.
"Your gift, what is it exactly?" he smiled.
But something wrapped Camile's heart. It was something overwhelming and almost breathtaking. She stood up and walked towards the others.
"Edmund!" Camile cried. "Take my hand!"
Edmund walked lazily but seeing Camile's desperation he broke into a jog and took her hand.
"Lucy, open the box and when I tell you, touch the yellow ring!"
"What's happening?" Eustace asked as he watched Camile's eyes crying.
"Everyone hold hands. Now! Lucy! What I told you!" they were alone in the wagon. Camile's screams were louder and distressing.
Everyone had fear, but most of all, they all thought Camile had gone mad... Suddenly the train hit the brakes, and then came a big crash. "Lucy! Now!" Camile cried.
Helen Pevensie drove Susan quietly. "You need to put your ideas together! You should have travel with your siblings."
"I was not sure if I wanted to go and visit the professor."
"Look what you make me do!" Helen said. "I passed the station! We need to drive at least three miles more to find a return path."
Susan spotted a train far way, but something told her Peter, Edmund and Lucy were there. In a blink of an eye a derailed and out of control train, ran towards the other. And then it happened.
"No! Peter!" Susan cried making her mother hit the brakes of the car.
EIGHT:
Camile opened her eyes. She had her head rested on Edmund's chest and he had his arms around her. "The Wood between Worlds." Camile whispered, as she took a look at the forest, crowded with trees and ponds all over.
"Yes. You brought us here." Edmund smiled releasing her.
Everyone else was wondering around the woods. "How long have we been here?"
"An hour or so…perhaps two. We were waiting for you." Edmund smiled.
Camile stood up and touched a tree; she could feel the magic on it. "Narnia…" she whispered. And the wind started to blow fierce and strong. Leafs swirled and danced toward a pond a couple of feet away. "Its this one!" Camile called the others.
"Are you sure?" Polly asked.
"Last time, we took the wrong pond, and brought Jadis to Narnia. Bad experience." Digory added.
"I am sure. It is home…" Camile said quietly to the Kings and Queen.
Everyone entered the pond, it was really shallow. "Lucy, the box, yellow ring. Everyone hold hands." Camile ordered. "Now…"
NINE:
Lucy lazily opened her eyes. She was surprised that Peter was holding her still. What had happened? It wasn't mere coincidence that Camile told them to hold hands before transporting themselves to the Wood between Worlds. She thought they were all going to look for Susan again, to try to convince her to come with them, to make her believe once more on the mysterious and breathtaking magic of Narnia.
"What happened…?" Jill asked.
"What do you mean?" Camile answered.
"Before getting into the Wood between Worlds, you-you…" but Jill didn't continue.
Camile was silent for a moment. The only thing they could hear was the whisper of the wind hitting the tree branches, making the leaves dance around them. Camile had no idea how to reply to that, she just felt that the train wreck was going to happen; or at least, she had a bad feeling, she knew something was going to happen.
Camile lowered her sight. "I just…knew something was going to happen. And, I couldn't, I really couldn't let anything harm you." She looked up again. "I was sent by the great lion…" her voice was a quick whisper, "besides Eustace, Polly, Digory and you, he asked me to bring the Kings and Queens of Old, and I couldn't achieve to bring them here. I was not going to permit you all to get hurt." She finished.
"Its not your fault Susan refused to accompany us. You tried to convince her, she wouldn't listen." Peter started.
"It was not up to you, Susan decided hers-" Lucy paused and her eyes widened.
"What's wrong Lu?" Edmund asked.
"The rings! I don't have them!"
"What? How? I'm sure it is not in the Wood between Worlds!" Jill said in alarmed voice.
"They disappeared! Polly said.
"The rings are gone… My efforts weren't enough. Narnia is not like you remember, its been corrupted. Keep your eyes open, and your hearing sharp. Our journey is long."
Digory Kirke walked slowly but steadily, Narnia had changed a lot, and now with the rings missing there was no way back; at least for now. He tried to keep his breath calm and tried to appreciate the beautiful land he visited as a kid; in his heart, there was really no desire to return to his boring World. Narnia is not safe as it was before… Camile's voice echoed in his head. What could corrupt this magical land? Who or what is the evil mind behind all this mystery.
TEN:
Shift stood behind the big rock in the river as Puzzle spoke to the Narnians. He regreted nothing, his thoughts were clean as water and he had no worries. He wanted power and finding that lion skin was, perhaps, one of the best things that could have happened to him. He had always considered himself to be very persuasive, so if anyone had the dirty idea of turning against him, he would wait until he was out of the public sight and murder him for betrayal.
Shift knew there was an ancient power that brought all Narnia to its existence, a power beyond any other; it was sheer and good, just and merciful. He thought of it as something that prevented his freedom, and if he was ruling Narnia as he wished, then Aslan wasn't powerful like he thought he was. Because if Aslan was powerful, where was he to put a stop to all of his evil actions?
By sundown, Camile had led the party through the woods and into the house of Meena, a dwarf who kindly raised her when she first came to Narnia. Meena had prepared her little home to receive her guests and also cooked a delicious dinner. After everyone ate, Meena took the responsibility of making everyone comfortable in their beds and then she went to sleep.
Camile, in the other hand, couldn't close her eyes. She silently left the room where everyone slept profoundly and went out to stargaze. She sat in a log and the dark of the Woods surrounded her. The temperature began to drop so she extended her arms in front of her and calmly took a deep breath. Then she whispered as sparks of fire begun to burn, and then she opened her eyes. A bonfire was created as she smiled at it, then once again she looked to the stars and sighed.
"How?" Camile heard Edmund's voice from the back.
"You shouldn't be here, please, go and rest." She ordered. But Edmund didn't obey and sat beside her.
"What are you?" he whispered after a while.
"I'm a Narnian."
"You are obviously not only a daughter of Eve!"
Camile stood up and grinned. "I am gifted. Aslan gave me this gift. I can control wind, earth, fire and water. I hope I answered your questions, now please, go and rest."
"How you came to Narnia?"
"I am from your World, yes. Things were really bad. I ended up here. This is my home…" Camile stared at the fire.
"You don't like very much, do you?" Edmund said with a smile on his lips.
Camile sat down again and pushed back her curly black hair. "My mother died when I was 3, my father and I had a beautiful relationship. We were wealthy and happy…" she stared at Edmund's eyes, she could see the reflection of the blazing bonfire, "but he got ill when I was 7, by the age of 9 he was dying and we had to sell almost everything to be able to pay for his medical treatment. My nanny never abandoned us, even though we had no money to pay her. When my father finally died, she took me to the forest one night; she left me there, alone. She told me to lie on the floor and get some sleep, then she kissed my forehead and left. A beautiful man woke me up and told me to follow him, we walked and then he disappeared; but behind me I found a magical portal that brought me here. I met Aslan and he gave me this, which is the source of my gift." Camile showed him her necklace. "Then he introduced me to Meena, and I have lived here ever since."
Edmund was shocked. He wasn't expecting that, but something in him made suddenly hug Camile. Camile doubted if she should hug him back, but she did. She broke the hug and cleared her throat.
"Tomorrow we will have breakfast and continue our journey. By noon we should get to the Dancing Lawn, we will find a hideout there where I have recruited and army to put at your service. You must sleep now." Camile put down the fire.
Edmund walked slowly to the house and opened the door for Camile. She let herself in and went to her bed and so did Edmund. In the darkness, Camile smiled at the memory of Edmund's arms around her. What was she thinking? He was her King! She should really get some sleep, tomorrow she was taking them to Luodnick, centaur and leader of the army of Narnians, while she was absent.
Edmund Pevensie couldn't sleep knowing Camile was sleeping a couple of feet away. He just wanted to make her feel safe and make her forget her terrible childhood, but he felt she didn't like him very much. He closed her eyes and thought… Tomorrow was a new day, maybe he could get to talk to her as he did tonight.
ELEVEN:
A dryad swirled in the air and landed in front of Shift.
"The girl brought them back." She spoke.
The wrinkled ape, stood as a human, looked at her and smiled. "Do you know the secret of dark magic?" he asked.
The dryad shook her head. "I can find the hag. She will know what to do. Do you want to bring her back, are you sure?"
"She froze Narnia for a hundred years…."
"But the girl is gifted!"
"She will know what to do with her. Without the girl, all those daughters of Eve and sons of Adam are doomed. Jadis will kill her and if they are prepared to fight, we must fight back."
The dryad flew once again and had a lot of precaution while getting away from Shift. All of her friends were waiting for Aslan, but she was tired of monotony. She was looking for that hag and Jadis, the White Witch would be released. Shift was going to fight.
Anyone who passed by the Dancing Lawn would say it was deserted. Hidden down the place, a huge army of Narnians was being led by Luodnick, centaur and great friend of Camile. He and the other Narnians awaited the arrival of Camile and her companions. They sharpened their swords and axes before preparing a great feast to receive them.
"Camile! This place is deserted!" Polly exclaimed.
"She knows what she is doing…" Edmund said.
Camile's lips turned into a smile, but she turned right away and continued walking until she reached a big rock. She knelt and placed her palms on the ground. "Minotaurs can move this rock easily." Then the ground in which the rock stood transformed into mud and it began to sink. There was an opening behind, just like a cave, and as soon as they were all in, Camile made the rock rise once again.
"How can she do that?" Lucy whispered to Edmund.
"She controls earth, water, fire and wind. Aslan's gift"
"How do you know?" Peter asked.
"She told me yesterday. She can really control fire; I've seen her create a bonfire out of nowhere…"
"And I also have an amazing hearing!" Camiled said tuning left and descending the rock stairs.
The Narnians welcomed everyone, bowing and chanting. There was a long with delicious food prepared for them. After they ate, Digory and Polly went to talk to the Narnians and got surrounded by their magic; they were so happy and started to remember the time when they visited Narnia for the first time. Peter, Eustace and Jill went to talk to Luodnick, they were planning battle strategies. As for Camile, she needed to create a fire somewhere, but away from the Narnians. She walked quickly and looked at Edmund who was friendly sword fighting with a faun. Edmund lost balance and got hit by the faun, he stood up and continued fighting. Lucy saw this and quietly followed Camile.
TWELVE:
The little bonfire was blazing fiercely. Lucy spotted Camile knelt in the floor watching the flames, she knew Camile had a strong connection with Aslan just as her when she first came to Narnia. Lucy Pevensie walked silently toward Camile.
"Did you enjoy the feast?" Camile said without turning.
Lucy jumped. "Yes, thanks!"
Camile stood up and walked to meet Lucy. Although Camile was a couple of inches taller, she bowed to her queen. "How can I help you, Your Majesty?"
"Lucy, please." She smiled. "Do you know when we're going to see Aslan?"
"Aslan is on his way. In the meantime he talks to me from the bonfires I create."
The fire went out. Camile rubbed her hands and a ball of fire appeared floating on her right hand, illuminating the cave. Where Camile's bonfire was, a bigger one was created. It was at least 10 times bigger, and the ardent flames danced and a deep roar came out the flames.
Camile and Lucy ran and knelt before it. "Aslan?" Lucy called.
The fire took the shape of a lion as he spoke. "Lucy…Narnia welcomes you and your companions."
Camile maintained her head down. She knew she had disappointed Aslan. She couldn't persuade Susan to come to Narnia. "Susan made her own decision, child. Now rise! Shift is willing to fight. Be prepared." The fire went out.
THIRTEEN:
It was late at night. Camile was training for battle. It had been long ago since the last time she used a sword, or a bow and arrow; but she knew the best way of defending herself was using Aslan's gifts. She had changed her clothes as everyone else, and her dark brown long skirt moved swiftly with every strike of her sword.
"You like my brother don't you?" Camile remembered when Lucy asked her this, a couple of hours after dinner.
Camile's heart raced in her chest. "No, Lucy…I-I don't." But Lucy only smiled.
Camile moved her sword angrily at the memory. She was not in love with Edmund Pevensie. She was sent by Aslan to make his will and that's all she was going to do. But Camile's thoughts were interrupted when the whole place began to shake; she turned around and saw Edmund Pevensie. How long had he been there? The trembling was so strong they both fell to the ground.
Camile struggled to concentrate but she placed her hands on the ground and calmed the earthquake. She stood up, sheathed her sword, but Edmund ran toward her and placed his hands on her shoulders. "We have been attacked…" he whispered.