Apples, Dwarves, and Fish

Peter awoke the next day with a swollen nose and an aching back. The sun lay low on the horizon; the air still cool and damp. After a moment of intense stretching, Peter rose to his feet and looked around. There were no sounds except for the soft swooshing of the waves and the call of a few distant birds. Edmund and Susan slept peacefully beside the smoldering embers of the fire, but Cara and Lucy were nowhere to be found.

Enjoying the calming silence, Peter grabbed an apple and found a comfortable spot on the edge of a boulder. The sea breeze cooled his neck and face; the smell enveloping every part of his being. He was back. He was home. He was High King again. Although the landscape around him was a far call from the world he remembered, this land was still Narnia. Already Peter felt stronger—older. The man that he used to be came closer to the surface of his skin as the hours past. Soon he would be who he once was. He could feel it.

"Oh I do wish that we had a boat." Peter turned his head at the sound of his younger sister's voice. Coming up a small path between two large apple trees were Cara and Lucy, both adorned in Narnian traveling dresses. Cara's hair was wild and free; the breeze causing it to whip in her face. Lucy's cordial and dagger were securely strapped to her side where they always found themselves when she was Queen Lucy the Valiant. The Narnian air seemed to be feeing her lungs with more than oxygen as well.

"We must make due with what we have, young Queen," came Cara's reply. "Oh," she said as she came around the bend and saw Peter, his back to a boulder and a half eaten apple in his hand. "Good morning, Peter," Cara said with a nod of acknowledgement. Peter returned the nod. Both fell asleep the night before in awkward silence. The question of why his touch brought her to life still hung thickly in the air. Cara recalled Aslan's words of why he named her High Queen those years ago, but she still refused to recognize what they could mean.

"Is this not a glorious morning, Peter?" asked Lucy with a smile. "Oh, but I do wish we had more to eat than apples." Her smile faltered. Peter looked at his half eaten apple and agreed. Apples are splendid for breakfast, but only if you had not eaten one for supper as well. With a sigh Peter tossed the remainder of his apple into the bushes and rose from his resting spot.

"Were you able to find anything of interest while on your walk," Peter asked the two Queens as they made their way back to camp.

"There is a canal on the other side of Cair Paravel, but its waters are swift. I do not recommend trying to swim it," replied Cara. Peter nodded at her words and pursed his lips. He would have to think of something.

BBBBBB

Soon all were awake and dressed in Narnian clothing. The four carried their gifts from Father Christmas once again, and Cara found her sword and daggers from her battles past. After everyone splashed their faces with water from the cool well, and ate at least a bite or two of apple, they headed down to the shore, where Cara and Lucy led them to the canal.

"We'll have to swim," said Edmund, as he stared at the narrow line of water.

"It would be alright for Sue," said Peter, for Susan had won many swimming competitions back in England, "but I don't know about the rest of us."

"I'm sure you and Edmund could make it Peter, and I know I cannot swim for nuts back home, but we are in Narnia, and I do feel stronger already," said Lucy with eyes full of hope. Peter made a face as if he was thinking deeply. He knew that Lu would never make it, and he truly didn't think Ed could either, but he did not wish to hurt anyone's feelings.

"I'm sure you are right. Both your brothers are quite strong, and you as well, but the water is swift, and I do not think I could make it," said Cara to Lucy. Peter looked at her with admiration. The High Queen met his gaze and nodded, for both knew that she was indeed lying, but her small lie helped Peter out of an awful lot of trouble. Peter noted that he would have to thank her later.

"Maybe we can build some sort of makeshift bridge," said Edmund, but his words were only met with "Hush!" and "Quiet!" for something else was now going on. Beyond the wood to their right, a small row boat came into view and began to turn down the mouth of the canal. Inside the boat were two soldiers, one rowing and the other holding a twitching bundle. The five companions quickly stepped backwards into the thick trees.

The men's faces were hard and bearded, with strong metal helmets covering their heads, and strong metal armor covering their chests. "Telmarine soldiers," Cara said softly to Peter. Her breath tickled his ear, causing the hair on the back of his neck to tighten and rise. He ignored the sensation and concentrated on the problem at hand.

"This is far enough," said the soldier holding the wiggling object.

"Should we tie a stone to its feet? Make sure it drowns?" replied the other.

"We didn't bring a stone you laggard, plus he will drown as is."

Suddenly, many things happened all at once. The soldier carrying the bundle rose to his feet, and Cara noticed that not only was it alive, but it was a dwarf. His hands and feet were securely tied, but he still struggled as hard as he could. Just as the soldier went to toss him, a whooshing noise passed Cara's ear. Not a moment later, the man holding the dwarf dropped him into the water before falling backwards out of the boat. He quickly resurfaced and headed for the opposite bank. Cara looked over to find Susan restringing her bow.

"Shoot to kill," Cara told Susan. "If they reach the mainland they will inform others." Susan nodded and let her arrow fly. As soon as the second soldier fell, Cara, Peter, and Edmund dashed from the trees.

"Grab the boat, Ed," yelled Peter. "We don't want her to drift." Soon both boys disappeared into the water. Peter after the dwarf and Edmund after the boat. Cara ran to the edge of the shore and searched the opposite bank for the soldier that escaped. Movement caught her eye, but the trees were too thick and too many to risk losing one of her blades on a tainted attempt.

"Damn," she said softly to herself as she watched the Telmarine struggle up the hill. Seeing that her chance was over, Cara took her eyes from the bank and placed them on the soaked form of the High King as he struggled to get the dwarf ashore. After giving the far bank one last look, Cara made her way over to the duo with her dagger still clutched in her hand.

Peter set the dwarf softly on the sand once they were clear of the water. Cara reached the dwarf quickly and kneeled beside him. Using her dagger, she easily cut both of his bounds. Once free, the dwarf turned on his side and sputtered and coughed until all water was rid from his lungs. He was a red dwarf, with a deep broad chest and a face full of wiry whiskers.

"Well, you don't feel like ghosts," the dwarf said in a deep, gruff voice. "But even if you are, I am indebted to you for saving my life."

"Ghosts?" asked Lucy. "Why should we be ghosts?"

"Legend says that these woods are filled with ghosts. Near as many ghosts as there are trees. That's why, when the Telmarines wish to get rid of anyone, they drop 'em off here. They believe that if the drownin doesn't kill em' the ghosts will," explained the dwarf as he attempted to wipe the gritty sand from his hands and beard.

"Just as I expected," said Cara sadly. "Do they run Narnia now?"

"Now," answered the dwarf, "and for the past few hundred years." Cara couldn't help but cast her eyes down at the dwarf's words. She truly had failed Narnia.

"Oh bother," added Susan. "I suppose Ed was right about the time."

"Why were they trying to drown you?" asked Peter.

"I'm a right criminal, I am," said the dwarf with a great deal of pride. "But that is a story I wish to tell after breakfast. Being executed gives one quite an appetite."

"We only have apples," said Lucy sadly, for she would give anything for a piece of bread and margarine.

"Apples will do," responded the dwarf as he clamored to his feet, "but fish would be a great deal better." The Kings and Queens agreed that fish would be a great deal better than apples, but no one had any fishing tackle, and catching fish with one's bare hands is not only frustrating, but rather time consuming.

"It looks as if I will be inviting you to breakfast then," said the dwarf. "I believe I saw tackle in the boat, but it would be smart for us to go around to the other side of the island. We don't want anyone from the mainland to spot us."

"It might be too late for that," said Cara. "One of the soldiers made his way to the opposite bank." The dwarf turned and looked at Cara as she spoke. It seemed that it was the first time that he really noticed her, for he kept his eyes on her long after she stopped talking.

"Beards and breadsticks," he said to himself, then turned and looked at each Pevensie closely. The dwarf's eyes quickly locked on the sword at Peter's side. "Blimey."

"Is something wrong?" asked Cara.

"Doesn't matter now. Let's get to fishing first," responded the Dwarf causing frowns of confusion to spread across each of the royal's faces.

"Very well then," said Peter. "Everyone into the boat. Ed and I will push her off."

The three girls and the dwarf made their way quickly to the boat. The dwarf climbed in with little issue, while Susan helped Lucy before gracefully swinging her legs over the side and sliding in. Cara went to follow her when a hand grabbed her elbow. She glanced over to find Peter offering his support as she climbed aboard. His wet shirt was plastered to his chest, and his golden hair covered up the top of his eyes. Peter smirked as a small blush came to her cheeks.

"Come on, Pete," said Edmund from behind him. Peter's cheeks matched Cara's as he let go of her arm and went to stand beside Edmund. "I don't think she needed your help," Ed said with a laugh.

"I was just being chivalrous," responded Peter.

"I'm sure."

"Days a wastin, boys," came the voice of the dwarf. "The fish can't bite if we aren't there."

Soon the boat was surrounded by deep water and the two Kings were safely aboard. Peter quickly took to rowing, while the dwarf steered them around the island and into slightly deeper water. Cara and Edmund gathered together the tackle, which consisted of one fishing pole and a small bag of bate. Once the dwarf was content with the location, he grabbed the pole and took to fishing.

Within a matter of an hour the dwarf managed to catch enough pavenders to feed the entire company. Lucy marveled at the rainbow colored fish, telling Cara and the dwarf tales of when her and her siblings feasted on them in Cair Paravel. Cara explained that she too remembered eating the lavish fish. "Matter of fact," she said as the dwarf steered them up a small creek, "pavenders are the very last thing I ate before I was turned to stone."

Lucy questioned whether the meal seemed as if it was just yesterday, and if Cara was not as excited about the fish as the rest of them. Cara quickly responded that fish were always better than apples.

"Stone?" the dwarf asked as the boat ran upon the shore, his face full of confusion and wonder.

Cara smiled as she stepped past him and onto the sand, where she helped Peter pull the boat fully onto the bank. "That is a tale to tell after our stomachs are full."

"Agreed," was the dwarf's reply. "Breakfast is the first course of action."

After the boat was secured to a tree not far from the bank, and the problem of carrying the fish was assessed—with the help of Edmund's hat—the six companions made their way inland. Edmund led the group toward the castle, while Cara and Peter brought up the rear. Peter found himself watching Cara's every step, awaiting the moment when he could offer her any assistance. Although he told himself it was simply the gentleman inside of him, he knew that he was purely looking for an excuse to touch her. Sadly for Peter, Cara's step was quite steady, causing him to find that his only contact with her was going to be through speech. After wracking his brain for appropriate topics, Peter remembered Cara's earlier aid.

"Cara," Peter said softly.

"You're welcome, Peter," she replied.

"Come again?" responded Peter.

"Were you not going to thank me for assisting you in avoiding the canal?" she asked.

"Well, yes. I suppose I was."

"Then, you are welcome," Cara said again, a small smile forming on her lips.