2
In Cambridge, 1941…
"I'm home!" Lucy called as she walked through the door, "Hello?" She picked up the box of groceries and walked through the den, where her Uncle Harold sat reading the paper, "Hello, Uncle Harold. I tried to find some carrots, but all they had were turnips again." Her uncle said nothing as she walked into the kitchen, putting some of the groceries on the table. Edmund walked up next to the den after her, looking at his uncle. "Shall I start making soup? Aunt Alberta's on her way home." Her uncle still didn't reply as she came into the den. She looked at him, getting increasingly tired of how her uncle paid more attention to the paper he read, "Uncle Harold." He still said nothing, folding the paper so he could keep reading it.
Edmund looked at his uncle in disbelief, disgusted at the fact that he cared more about the morning paper than his own niece and nephew. He stuck his tongue out at him in retaliation, knowing he wouldn't see it.
"Father!" A voice said, Edmund turned around to see his cousin, Eustace Clarence Scrubb (If anyone so deserved such a name), standing on the stairs, "Edmund's making faces at you!" Edmund glared at him, and Eustace took a pea shooter and shot a pea at him, hitting his neck. Edmund put his hand over the spot he shot at, and looked just about ready to kill his cousin. He ran up the stairs towards him.
"Why you little—!"
"Father, he's gonna hit me!" Eustace cried, cowering away from his cousin.
"Edmund, look!" Lucy's voice came, making him stop. She came over to the stairs and held up a letter with a smile, "It's from Susan!"
"I do wish you were here with us. It's been such an adventure! But nothing like our times in Narnia. America is very exciting, except, we never see father. He works so very hard." Lucy read aloud as she and Edmund sat in her room from Susan's letter, "I was invited to the British Consul's tea party this week by a naval officer, who happens to be very handsome. I think he fancies me." Edmund got up from Lucy's bed and looked at the painting that rested over the mantle in her room, looking at the ship that had been drawn in the background. "It seems the Germans have made the crossing difficult right now, times are hard. Mother hopes you both won't mind another few months in Cambridge…" Edmund whirled around to look at her, and she looked back at him, "Another few months?! How will we survive?" Edmund came over and looked at the letter.
"You're lucky," He said, scanning over Susan's hand-writing, "Least you've got your own room. I'm stuck with mullet-mouth."
"Susan and Peter are the lucky ones." Lucy said, getting up from her bed and walking up to the mirror on the wall. "Off on adventures." With Lucy off the bed, Edmund made use of the extra space, lying down on her bedspread.
"Yeah, they're the oldest and we're the youngest." He said, "We don't matter as much." Lucy looked over her reflection in the mirror, tucking hair behind her ear.
"Do you think I look anything like Susan…?" She asked quietly. Edmund sighed and put the letter down on the bed next to him.
"Why can't Max be here with us?" He asked, "She'd at least make staying here a little more bearable. Why hasn't she called us yet?"
"Edmund, she was from decades into the future," Lucy said, turning to him, "She probably hasn't even been born yet."
"Well, I wish she'd be born faster." Edmund grumbled. Lucy let out a small laugh.
"Just be patient." She said, "We'll see her when we go to Narnia again, of that much I'm sure. If we don't, then we'll both be ancient by the time she is born." Edmund sighed again.
"Lucy, have you seen this ship before?" He asked, getting up from the bed and walking over to the painting. Lucy smiled at the sight of it.
"Yes," She said, walking up next to him to gaze at it, "It's very Narnian-looking isn't it?"
"Yeah." Edmund agreed, "Well… Just another reminder that we're here and not there."
"There once were two orphans," A voice said from behind them, the two siblings looked to see Eustace coming in, "Who wasted their time… Believing in Narnian nursery rhyme." Edmund gave him a murderous glare.
"Please let me hit him." He begged Lucy as he stormed over to Eustace. Lucy reached out and grabbed his arm before he went too far.
"No!" Lucy said. Edmund shook her arm off, still glaring at his cousin.
"Don't you ever knock?" He asked him.
"It's my house." Eustace said, "I can do as I please. You're just guests." The two tried to ignore him as he walked into the room, sitting down on the bed, "What's so fascinating about that picture anyway? It's hideous."
"You won't see it from the other side of the door." Edmund said, still looking at the painting. Eustace made a face at him, but he didn't notice.
"Edmund, it looks like the water's actually moving." Lucy said with a smile, staring at the painting.
"What rubbish." Eustace scoffed, "See? That's what happens when you read all those fanciful novels and fairy tales of yours."
"There once was a boy called Eustace," Edmund began with a smile, "Who read books full of facts that were useless." Lucy smiled at him.
"People who read fairy tales are always the sort that become a hideous burden to people like me." Eustace said, Edmund turned around to face his cousin with an angry look of disbelief, "Who read books with real information."
"Hideous burden?" He repeated angrily, walking over to Eustace, who jumped up at the sight of his angered cousin, "I haven't seen you lift a finger since we've been here." Lucy looked at the picture as she saw that the waves really were moving, a small drop of water began coming out of the corner of the painting. Eustace tried to run from the room, but Edmund shut the door before he had a chance to get out. "I have a right mind to tell your father it was you who stole Aunt Alberta's sweets!"
"Liar." Eustace said quickly. Lucy blinked quickly as she began to feel the salty mist from the ocean waves from the painting.
"Oh, really?" Edmund asked.
"Edmund, the painting!" She exclaimed, seeing the ship in the background coming closer to her, and more water stream out.
"I found them under your bed," Edmund continued as if Lucy hadn't spoken, "And do you know what? I licked every one of them." He smiled smugly as Eustace shuddered violently.
"Ugh! I'm infected with you!" He said disgustedly. Lucy gasped as a wave splashed up and sprinkled her with water, as well as Eustace and Edmund. Water began pouring out of the painting and soaking everything on the mantle and spilling out of the painting. Edmund and Lucy smiled excitedly, while Eustace just looked terrified. "What's going on here?"
"Lucy, do you think…?" Edmund said excitedly.
"It's some kind of trick!" Eustace said quickly, "Stop it or I'll tell mother!" He turned to the door, trying to ignore the now flooded room, shouting for his mother. He looked at the picture, his heart racing in fear at the sight of the ocean practically turning the picture frame into a water fall in the room, "Oh, I'll just smash the rotten thing!" He ran over to the painting and pulled it off the walls. Edmund and Lucy grabbed onto his arms, trying to stop him.
"No, Eustace!" Edmund cried, trying to pull the painting away from him, "No!"
"Eustace, put it back!" Lucy cried, "Let it go!"
In all the fighting, Eustace dropped the painting onto the floor, and the water burst out of the painting, drenching the entire floor in salt water. Soon the water rose up to their knees. Lucy screamed as she lost her footing, Edmund and Eustace doing the same, as if the floor had just disappeared out from under them. As they swam around in the water, occasionally dipping under the water, where it rose higher and higher at an unbelievable speed. When the entire room was filled, they swam up to where the air awaited them, seeing the walls of the room disappear as they swam in a large ocean. The three of them gasped for breath as they stuck their heads out of the water, with Eustace flailing his arms around as he looked around him.
In Chicago, 2011…
Maxine cursed profusely as she tried to unbuckle herself as the car began to fill up with water from the river. The buckle in Susan's car had gotten stuck, like it had many times before then, and she couldn't escape. Once the water had covered her car entirely, and she was waist-deep in the cold liquid in her car, the seatbelt finally came undone. She knew if she opened the car door, the entire car would flood faster, so she sat back and slammed her feet against the window, desperately trying to break it so she could escape. When the water had gotten up to her neck, she gave up on the window and took a deep breath from the remaining air that was left in the car and stuck her head under the water, opening the car door. She felt her head crying out in pain from the level of water pressure in a river that shouldn't have been that deep. She pushed the door open and swam out, watching the car sink into seemingly unending depths of water.
Her lungs began to burn in need of air, and she swam up to the surface of the water as fast as she could, her eyes beginning to sting from the feeling of saltwater coming into them instead of the freshwater that the river should have had. She went up to the surface, gasping for air, and was surprised that she was no longer in the river, but in a vast ocean. She looked around, seeing three other forms in the water, and a huge ship heading over to her. She shrieked in fear and began to swim away, hearing one of the other people in the water with her crying out for the others to swim. None of them noticed the men diving off of the ship and swimming towards them. Maxine found it increasingly difficult to swim with her clothes and shoes weighing her down. She felt arms encase themselves around her, and she panicked, hitting the body and screaming.
"Stop! Stop that!" The man said, "I'm trying to help you!" Maxine stopped and looked at the man, having never seen him before, but recognizing the style of old clothes that belonged to the fifteenth century.
"Edmund! It's Caspian!" A voice called out, Maxine looked over to see a young girl, and saw it was Lucy Pevensie, and next to her was a dark head of hair that she recognized instantly with a wide smile. She looked over at the two other forms swimming away and recognized Edmund Pevensie, but didn't recognize the other, who hadn't stopped swimming. Maxine looked back at the man with a smile.
"Thank you." She said, the man nodded and pulled her into his arms, both of them swimming towards the ship.
"We're in Narnia?" Edmund's voice called.
"Yes, you're in Narnia!" A voice called back. Maxine's heart soared as she recognized it as Caspian's.
"I don't wanna go!" An unfamiliar voice wailed, "I wanna go back to England! I'm going back to England!" Maxine let the man bring her over to a small plank was being lowered down and he had her stand on it next to him.
"Hold on, Miss." He said, his arm around her waist. Maxine jumped a little in surprise when the plank was lifted up and they came onto the deck of the ship. She jumped onto the deck, her arms around herself as she felt the cool air surround her and her wet clothes that clung to her body. She looked over on the opposite side and saw Caspian and Lucy coming up as well.
She smiled widely and shouted out, "Lucy!" She looked over at her and matched her smile.
"Max!" She cried, she ran over to her and the two girls embraced tightly, even though they were both soaking wet. Lucy laughed as she pulled away, "You're soaking wet!"
"You're one to talk!" Max returned with a laugh, shivering as she pulled away. A man came over to her with a towel and draped them over her shoulders, "Thank you." She turned to see who it was, and looked directly into the beautiful brown eyes of Caspian X, king of Narnia. "Caspian…" He embraced her tightly, and she did the same, her face going into his chest. She felt a tightness in her chest that had been there for so long finally release itself as Caspian held her close. He kissed the top of her head fondly before pulling away from her, letting her get more comfortable in the towel.
"That was thrilling." Lucy said as she had her own towel draped over her, and another towel was handed to Caspian. He smiled as he put his arms around the two girls and began leading them across the deck.
"How in the world did you end up here?" Caspian asked them.
"I have no idea." Lucy said with a laugh.
"Me either." Maxine said.
"Caspian!" A voice called, they looked behind them and saw Edmund behind them. Caspian smiled and walked over to him, putting his towel around his shoulders.
"Edmund." He said happily, bringing him over to where Lucy and Max were.
"It's great to see you." Edmund said.
"Great to see you." Caspian replied.
"Didn't you call for us?" Lucy asked Caspian.
"…No." Caspian said, "Not this time."
"Well, whatever the case," Edmund said, "I'm just glad to be here." Maxine smiled and looked at Caspian.
"Me too." She said, Caspian smiled at her. They all heard screaming and looked back to see Eustace flailing around with something on his chest.
"Don't touch me!" Eustace shouted, "Get that thing off me!" He threw the creature off of him and he rolled over to Caspian, Lucy, Edmund, and Maxine.
"Reepicheep!" Lucy cried, happy to see the small mouse. Reepicheep looked up at them and smiled, bowing.
"Your majesties." He greeted.
"Hello, Reep." Edmund said, "What a pleasure."
"The pleasure is all mine, sir," Reepicheep said, "But first, what to do about this… this hysterical interloper?" He pointed back at where Eustace was bending over and coughing roughly. When he finished, he instantly looked back at Reepicheep.
"That giant rat thing just tried to claw my face off!" Eustace cried, pointing at Reepicheep.
"I was merely trying to expel the water from your lungs, sir." Reepicheep said, Eustace looked at him with wide, freaked out eyes and jumped up.
"It talk— Did you see?" He stuttered out, pointing at Reepicheep, "Anyone just hear that? It just talked!"
"He always talks." A member of the crew said.
"Actually, it's getting him to shut up that's the trick." Caspian said, the crewmen laughed.
"The moment there is nothing to be said, your highness," Reepicheep said, sounding slightly offended, "I promise you, I will not say it."
"Well, I don't know what kind of prank this is, but I want to wake up right now!!" Eustace shouted.
"Perhaps we could throw him back?" Reepicheep said as Eustace began going on about being kidnapped by 'some sort of sea-faring carnival'. Maxine looked over at Edmund and Lucy, seeing how Edmund looked like he was actually contemplating the idea.
"Edmund!" Lucy said in appall, harshly elbowing him when she saw his face. Maxine looked back at the boy, who looked close to tears.
"I demand to know just where in the blazes am I?!" He demanded, coming over to some of the crew. A minotaur stepped up to him, Maxine snorted when she saw his eyes become as big as dinner plates at the sight of him.
"You're on the Dawn Treader," He said to him, "The finest ship in Narnia's navy." Maxine burst out in peals of laughter when she saw the boy fall on the floor from fainting, as did the rest of the crew. Caspian came up the minotaur, who looked at him in slight worry, "Was it something I said?"
Caspian only laughed, "See to him, will you?" The minotaur nodded.
"Your majesty." He said, he turned back to Eustace and picked him up bridal-style and carried him below deck. Caspian went up the stairs near the helm.
"Men!" He shouted to the crew, "Behold our castaways!" The crew looked to Edmund, Maxine, and Lucy, "Edmund the Just, Lucy the Valiant, and Maxine the Strong. High King and Queens of Narnia." Maxine watched as the entire crew bowed to them.
"I'm still not used to that." She whispered to Edmund and Lucy, who laughed quietly. Caspian came back down to them.
"I'll get you all some dry clothes to change into." He said, leading them below deck. Maxine looked around the ship as they went through the halls, Caspian stopped at a door and opened it up, walking in. Maxine looked in, seeing it was a bedroom that must have been Caspian's. He opened up a trunk and pulled out some shirts, pants, and a few other things, then bringing them back to them, "I'm sorry I don't have any dresses for you to change into, but we weren't exactly expecting female company on this voyage."
"It's fine." Maxine said, "I'm more used to boys' clothes anyway." Caspian smiled at her.
"I'm sure of that." He said, handing her and Lucy some clothes, "Shall I find you somewhere to change? The rooms next door are empty."
"I'll go in this one." Lucy said, pointing to the room to the right of Caspian's bedroom.
"And I'll go in that one." Edmund said, pointing to the room on the left. The two siblings left, leaving Maxine and Caspian in a room together, alone. Maxine looked up at him, and he looked back at her.
"Um… Can I change in here?" She asked him, she saw a light blush on Caspian's cheeks, and he nodded.
"Yes," He said, "I promise I won't look." Maxine smiled at him.
"Thanks." She said, going to an unoccupied part of the room while Caspian shut the doors. Maxine peeled off her wet clothes, letting them land on the floor with a wet slap! Caspian kept his back to her, staring at the wall as she changed. "So… How are you?"
"I'm well." Caspian said, "And yourself?"
"I'm great." Maxine said, having a little difficulty taking off her wet jeans, "Damn it… Come off…"
"Is everything alright?" Caspian asked, slightly turning his head.
"Yeah, yeah, it's fine." Maxine said, hopping on one leg as she pulled off her jeans, "Just a little… clothes trouble…" She froze when two hands covered her own as they pulled off her jeans.
"Perhaps… I can help?" Caspian whispered in her ear. Maxine shivered from the sound of it, her face blooming out in a blush, and her heart racing.
"If you want…" She whispered back, silently thanking God that the T-shirt she had decided to wear was a man's T-shirt that traveled down to her thighs. Caspian's hands gently removed hers and lowered her jeans down to her legs, where they fell to the ground and she stepped out of them. Caspian's hands, shaking a bit, went to the hem of her shirt, grasping at it.
"May I?" He asked quietly. Unable to come up with a response, Maxine raised up her arms instead, and Caspian lifted up her shirt over her head. When it was off, Maxine's arms instantly went across her chest, grabbing onto her shoulders. She stood still in her underwear, a pair of white panties and a bra to match. Caspian had never seen her so bare before, and she was a bit embarrassed, and worried about what he might think of her. Caspian's hands went over hers on her shoulders, and she felt her breathing hitch as Caspian gently placed his lips on her bare shoulder. Her heart pounded in her chest as he left unbelievably light butterfly kisses on her skin. His kisses became a bit harder as they traveled to her neck and her jaw. She shivered from the feel of it as Caspian wrapped one arm around her middle, pulling her to him.
"Caspian…" She murmured as he kissed her cheek. He put his other arm around her chest, and she grasped at it, turning her head to him. His lips met hers in a way that could only be called pure happiness. She turned in his arms, wrapping her own around his neck as Caspian's tongue slid across her lips, asking for entrance. Maxine opened her mouth and gladly let him in, her tongue sliding against his as her hand went up into his dark locks. How she had missed this. Missed him. Feeling his lips moving against hers put her on cloud nine, and being in his arms made her feel at home once again. Caspian had changed since she last saw him. He had grown a beard (Something she had always found incredibly sexy), which lightly tickled her skin as they kissed, and he had grown significantly taller. She felt herself being moved and soon found herself up against the wall of the room. She gasped as his lips moved away from hers, going to her neck, kissing it.
"I've missed you…" Caspian murmured, going to her collar bone.
"I missed you, too." Maxine gasped as he began sucking on it, "Oh, Caspian…!" Caspian suddenly pulled away, his hands on either side of Maxine's head, panting harshly. Maxine panted as well, not having experienced something that hot since she left. She watched in surprise as he suddenly moved away, "Caspian?" He said nothing, picking up the clothes he had picked out for her and giving them to her.
"You should… hurry and change." Caspian said, clearing his throat, "We don't want to keep Lucy and Edmund waiting." He turned around again and started to walk away, and Caspian went over to him, stopping him by grabbing his shoulder.
"Caspian, why did you stop?" She asked him, still surprised at how he suddenly pulled away from her.
"Because I can." Caspian said, turning his head to look at her over his shoulder, "I fear if I go any further… I might not be able to control myself." Maxine stood a bit stunned as he walked over to the door, but stopping when his hand was on the handle, "So… Please. Hurry and get dressed. I will be waiting for you on deck." He closed the doors behind him. Maxine glared at the doors and grumbled to herself as she pulled on the clothes.
"That freaking jerk… Kissing me like that… Getting me all hot and bothered… Then he just leaves me here? Freaking jerk!"
Maxine came out from Caspian's room and onto the deck, smiling at him as she walked closer to him, wearing the clothes he had given her. He smiled back at her, but it quickly disappeared when she frowned and smacked his shoulder.
"What was that for?" He asked.
"You do something like what happened in there," She said in a low voice, "And it won't happen again." Caspian nodded.
"Understood." He said, rubbing his arm where she hit him. He looked her up and down, smiling, "You look good, by the way." Maxine looked down at herself, she was wearing a dark vest over her shirt, other than that, she only wore a pair of pants and a pair of boots. She shrugged.
"I just work with what you give me." She said. She looked over at Edmund as he came out from below deck, wearing a long, sleeveless jacket over his tunic. Other than that, they weren't dressed very differently. Caspian smiled at him as he walked over.
"Much better." He said, complimenting his look in Narnian clothes. Maxine had to agree with him. Edmund looked much more… Natural in Narnian clothes. Edmund nodded at him.
"Ready, Lu?" He called up to his sister at the helm. Maxine snorted a little to herself as she came down in clothes that were far too big for her and her petite body. She honestly looked like a little cabin boy. It seemed she knew this, because Lucy had a very disgruntled look on her face.
"Ah," Caspian said with a smile, "'Scuse me, lad, I don't suppose you've seen a young girl around here anywhere?"
"All right!" Lucy said, a whine underlying her voice as she smacked Caspian's shoulder. He laughed it off and began to lead them into a room below deck.
"You're terrible." Maxine laughed as they walked. She turned to Lucy, "And for the record, Luce, I think you look adorable."
"Thanks, I guess." Lucy said, Maxine grimaced slightly when she realized that wasn't the compliment Lucy wanted to hear. Caspian opened the doors to a room at the very back of the boat, which must have been something of a navigational room because, along with the room having various Narnia décor, there was a map lying on the table in the middle of the room. Maxine smiled as she approached a cabinet that bore the face of a very familiar lion.
"Aslan." She murmured, reaching up to where his mane was. Lucy walked over to another part of the room, and smiled when she recognized something else from Narnia.
"Look," She said, "Susan's bow and arrows." Maxine and Edmund turned around to see that Susan's bow and arrows were displayed near a window, looking completely untouched.
"Lucy," Caspian called, getting her attention. She turned around and saw Caspian holding two objects that were very dear to her.
"My healing cordial and dagger!" She said happily, walking over to Caspian. She hesitated before she took them, "Oh. May I?"
"Of course," Caspian said, "They're yours." Lucy took them from him, putting the two objects at her waist. Maxine smiled when she saw something very familiar to her.
"Is that my sword?" She asked, going over to where the blade was on display on top of a small stand. She looked over at Caspian, "You wouldn't mind if I…"
"Of course not," Caspian said, "It is your sword. You may have it if you wish." Maxine smiled and picked up her blade, putting it in the sheath next to the display stand it had been sitting on and putting it at her waist, smiling at the familiar feel of it.
"Peter's sword." Edmund said, going over to where the sword was resting against the wall.
"Yes," Caspian said, going over to it, "Looked after, as promised." He picked it up and held it out to Edmund, "Here, hold it if you wish."
"No, no. It's yours." Edmund said quickly, "Peter gave it to you." Caspian nodded.
"I did save this for you, though." He said, going over to a cabinet and pulling something out. Maxine raised a curious eyebrow when she saw it was a flashlight. He tossed it to Edmund with a smile, and he caught it.
"Thanks." He said, hiding his disappointment about not having his own sword on the ship. He flipped it on, blinking rapidly when he shined the light in his eyes. Maxine giggled behind her hand at the sight of it.