Okay. Two of my class friends gave me some inspiration to write this chapter, otherwise I wouldn't have managed it. I'm also sorry for make you wait a little longer than usually, but I really hope you will like it.
Clip from next chapter:
"Are you okay?" he asked while he knelt in front of me. Then he saw my red eyes and how I was clenching his coat. In some seconds he only stared, then he saw at me with those eyes that told me he was sorry. "Oh, Catty", he whispered. "If I had any idea about... I shouldn't..." He gave up trying to form any sentence, and instead he carefully stroke my cheek.
CH. 8 A Look Into the Future
I was about to follow the rest of them inside, but Peter grabbed my arm.
"Catty, I need to talk to you."
I stopped and saw at him. "Fine, just talk. I'll listen... for a while."
"Just us two?" he begged. With a sigh I walked back outside and he closed the door behind me.
"Fine, what do you want to talk about?" I asked, and to my surprise my voice was totally calm.
He took a deep breath before his eyes met mine. "I just wanted to say that I'm really sorry for... you know. That in Mr. Tumnus's house."
I tilted my head, and in some seconds everything was silent.
He gave me a small, tentatively smile. "Friends?" I did not return it.
"Maybe", was the only answer I gave him before I turned on my heel, pushed up the door and walked inside the two beavers house.
From outside it looked small, but when I came inside, I could stand straight, though Peter who after some seconds followed me nearly collided with the roof.
In the middle a table was standing, and two benches on each side of it. There was also a fireplace where the beaver who had met us outside the house, was standing. There were shelves, a small coffee table and two armchairs too. A stair was going up to a second floor where the beavers probably slept.
Edmund was sitting in the stairs, while Susan and Lucy were sitting on one of the benches where Peter joined them. The male beaver sat on the other bench, but right then I didn't want to sit together with them.
I ended up sitting on the floor with the coat around me.
The female beaver gave me a warm cup of tea and smiled to me. "It's cold outside, so I think you need this."
"Thanks", I relied politely and took the cup. When I lifted my arm, the beaver spotted the wound I had.
"By Aslans Mane!" she gasped. "What happened to you?"
I saw down at the wound and stared. Then I carefully touched it, and when I saw at my fingers, they were crimson red. I swallowed and tried to calm myself.
It's nothing, just some blood. It will be okay!
I couldn't understand why I hadn't felt it earlier. How was it possible not to feel that I was bleeding?!
"Lay down", the female beaver commanded. "I'm going to wash it, and probably it will hurt."
I changed from staring at my red fingers, to stare at her. "N-no!" I stuttered, and she frowned at me.
"Catty." Peters voice was calm when he spoke, but I didn't want to listen to him. "You have to get it washed, or it might get worse than it already is."
I moved away from the table when it suddenly started to hurt again. A small gasp came from me. A closed my eyes and I pressed my hands over the wound. I heard someone rise, followed by the same someone who forced me to lay down.
The persons hands were warm and made me feel safe. Nothing bad could happen to me as long as that person was around. I opened my eyes slowly and saw Peters face over me. Of course. I should have thought it was him, but what was that feeling? I didn't understand. Maybe I didn't even want to understand.
On the other side of me, Susans face floated. "This is going to hurt", she warned before she carefully dragged my blouse up. Like the young gentleman he was, Peter looked away, though the blouse was still covering my chest.
It was when Susan started to drag up the blouse, it began to hurt. Some of the blood must had dried into the fabric. My hands closed around the coat I was laying on, but just a few seconds later someone took my hands.
Still holding my hands in his, Peter sat beside my head. I clenched my teeth and tried not to let out any sound. It didn't work well. Peter gently kissed my hands, and somehow it felt right. It felt right that he cared about me.
I swallowed and his eyes met mine in some seconds, then he saw away.
The female beaver washed my wound carefully, and I'm not going to deny it hurt like hell. (Sorry about the words). Afterwords she bandaged me before she covered me with one of the coats.
I closed my eyes and relaxed. Peter stroke my forehead gently before he rose from his place beside me. I opened my eyes when he let go of my hand. He must had felt it, 'cause he saw down at me. His face didn't tell me much, but his eyes were filled with a hundred feelings.
"Thanks", I muttered so low that only he heard it, before I closed my eyes again and fell asleep.
It was a weird kind of sleep, because I could hear everything that happened around me, and I could see it too.
I saw behind me, and to my shock I saw my body laying there. Was I dead? Carefully I searched for any sign of breath. I, the sleeping me, was breathing. It was really strange.
"What happened to her?" I turned at the sound of the voice. The female beaver saw at the Pevensies.
"When our home was attacked about one week ago, she was hit by something, glass I think. Mum took care about her, but Catty never mentioned the wound after that." Peters face was filled with concern a guilty and he saw at my sleeping body.
"It isn't you fault", Susan told him with a hand on his arm. I didn't understand why, but seeing it made me jealous.
"But... I think it got worse after I fell over her, and if that's right, then it is my fault. If Mrs. Beaver didn't see it, she could've died! It could've been my fault!" he replied. I stared at him. His blue eyes and light brown hair. In the warm light his hair shined like gold, and his eyes reflected the fire.
I wanted to say something, but the words got stuck in my throat. I decided just to listen to what they said.
"Your Majestie, I'm sure your beloved will be okay. She just need some rest to let the wound heal properly", Mrs. Beaver said.
Susan and Lucy giggled while Peters ears got red.
"She isn't... We're not... I'm..." he stuttered before he just hid his face in his hands, gently shacking his head.
"Young King", Mrs. Beaver said with a smile as she made some more tea. "The way you care for her, and each time you talk to her or about her, it's possible to see that you're in love. It's no shame. I don't know her very well, but I can see she's a lovely girl, and she will mean a lot to you. Trust my words."
Peter saw at her through his fingers. "But we've had so many fights... and I don't think she likes me that way. I mean, we grew up together, like siblings, but for her I'm nothing but a friend!"
Mrs. Beaver laughed lightly, but didn't reply. Meanwhile it looked like Lucy got enough of waiting.
"Mr. Beaver, isn't there anything we can do to help Mr. Tumnus?" she asked and saw at Mr. Beaver.
"They'll have taken him to the Witch's castle", he answered before he leant forward. "You know what they say. There's few that go through them gates that come out again."
"Fish 'n' chips?" Mrs. Beaver asked when she placed a plat in front of Lucy. The fish didn't look too good, and the chips looked more like bites of wood. I saw that Lucy tried to look enthusiastic, but it didn't work out."There is hope, dear", Mrs. Beaver added and laid a hand on the small girls shoulder. "Lots of hope."
Mr. Beaver choked over his tea when his wife send him a look. "Oh yeah, there's a right bit more than hope!" he said while he put his cup back at the table before he whispered: "Aslan is on the move."
When he said that, I wanted so badly to say something, anything, just to agree with him, but no sound came over my lips. Somehow I knew that 'Aslan' was the lion who had visited me. He was the one supporting me when I had a hard time.
Edmund rose from his place on the stairs. "Who's Aslan?" he asked, causing Mr. Beaver to laugh hard.
"'Who's Aslan?'" he repeated. "You cheek little blighter!"
Mrs. Beaver, however, saw how serious, and maybe confused, the Pevensies looked, and easily tapped Mr. Beavers shoulder. He saw up at her and she nodded toward the others.
"What?" Mr. Beavers laughter died and was replaced with surprise, wonder and disbelief when he too saw their expressions. "You don't know, do ya?"
"Well, we haven't exactly been her very long", Peter said, trying to explain the beavers why they didn't know this Aslan who obviously was some kind of king.
"Well, he's only the king of the whole wood!" Mr. Beaver exclaimed. "The top geezer! The real King of Narnia!"
"He's been away for a long while", Mrs. Beaver added.
"But he's just got back!" Mr. Beaver finished, "and he's waitin' for you near the Stone Table!"
A billion questions started to fly through my head at those words.
"He's waiting for... us?" That was maybe the biggest question to me, and I was glad Lucy asked it.
"You're bloomin' joking!" Mr. Beaver exclaimed. "They don't even know the prophecy!"
"Well then", Mrs. Beaver encouraged him with a gesture toward Peter, Lucy, Susan and Edmund.
"Look", Mr. Beaver explained. "Aslan's return. Tumnu's arrest. The Secret Police. It's all happening because of you!"
"You're blaming us?" Susan replied, and I could hear she was offended.
"No!" Mrs. Beaver gasped. "Not blaming! Thanking you!"
"There's a prophecy", Mr. Beaver continued. "'When Adam's flesh and Adam's bone, sits at Cair Paravel in throne, the evil time will be over and done.'"
"You know, that doesn't really rhyme", Susan told him. In silence I agreed with her.
"I know it don't, but you're kinda missin' the point!"
With a sigh Mrs. Beaver put an arm around Mr. Beaver. "It has long been foretold that two sons of Adam, and two daughters of Eve will defeat the White Witch and restore peace to Narnia."
"And... you think we're the ones form this prophecy?" Peter asked and frowned at Mr. Beaver.
"You'd better be, 'cause Aslan's already fitted out the army!" the beaver replied.
"Our army?" Lucy exclaimed.
"That can't be", Susan protested. It had to be a really shock for her, to hear that she would become some kind of great hero and Queen. "If you haven't seen it yet, we're five, not four. The prophecy can't be about us, and this army can't be for us either."
Mr. Beaver shrugged. "Guess she isn't related to the rest of you, right?"
They all, included me, turned to my sleeping body. In my sleep I turned my head toward the table. I was dragged toward myself, and then everything went black in some seconds.
I opened my eyes, and the first I saw was five pairs of eyes staring at me. Something was wrong. Carefully I sat up. Yup, I was definitely alive.
"Where is Edmund?" I asked after my eyes had swept over the small house. My eyes stopped by the door. It wasn't properly closed. "Oh no."
The rest of them turned to see what I was looking at.
"I'm going to kill him", Peter muttered and rose.
"You may not have to", Mr. Beaver said in a aware tone. "Have he ever been to Narnia before?"
The three siblings got to their feet and took on their coats. I too got to my feet and wanted to follow them, but Peter saw me.
"No, you're staying here", I said in a sharp tone that made me jump.
"I want to go with you!" I replied, like a three year old. "I don't want to be left behind!"
He only shook his head. "No way. For the first, it's cold outside and you have that wound. For the second, I promised Mum to keep you safe."
"So why don't you leave Lucy and Susan here to?" I asked, my voice rising.
"He's their brother!" he replied.
"Just to mention it, Mr. Bighead, I grew up with him too! He's as good as a brother to me!"
For a second he looked like he didn't know what to say, but then he saw at me with those eyes it was impossible to resist.
"Just stay here", he repeated, and then he, Susan, Lucy and Mr. Beaver were gone. I stared after them. Then I collapsed on the coats I had been laying at, and started to cry. Mrs. Beaver came over to me and patted my shoulder carefully.
"Why do he sound like he hate me?" I sobbed. "Why don't he want me to go with?"
"He only care too much about you. He told me about how you got that wound, and that you nearly died. I think it was then he realized how much he love you", she said tentatively. I didn't look at her, only buried my face in one of the two coats laying on the floor.
With my eyes closed, I sensed the smell of the coat. The most intensive was that of an old human and mothballs, but I could also sense something else, something newer that lay like a layer over the old smell. Peppermint, grass and earth. My memories took my back to the garden outside my and Dad's house, about two years ago on a beautiful, clear, summer-night.
"You see that? That's Sagittarius." A fifteen years old Peter pointed up at the sky. I tried to follow his pointing finger, but all I could see was stars and more stars.
"I don't understand how you manage to see that", I laughed at him. He continued to point out different constellations, but I soon gave up trying to see what he saw up there. My eyes moved to his face. His eyes were shining and he was smiling.
"What?" he asked when he realized I was watching him. I smiled.
"Nothing, just that you're really cute when you talk about something you like, and-" I stopped when I realized what I had said. "Sorry, I shouldn't have said it", I muttered and stared at the ground, blushing.
He laid his hand over my. "That's okay. Just so you know, you're cute too. Especially when you're blushing." When he said it I blushed even more. Then he kissed my cheek before he rose. "Good night." He waved his hand at me, smiled and left me sitting on the stairs, staring after him.
I lifted my hand and touched the place where he had kissed me. First then a smile appeared on my face. "Good night", I muttered.
I opened my eyes and sat up, staring down at the coat. That mix of peppermint, grass and earth was the same smell Peter had in his clothes that day.
"Is there anything wrong?" Mrs. Beaver asked concerned and saw from me to the coat and back.
"The coat", I whispered. "It smells just like Peter did one summer-night two years ago." I swallowed. Then I lent against the wall, held the coat tight and closed my eyes.
I heard Mrs. Beaver moving around in the small house, humming. I should probably have asked if she needed help, but I didn't. Instead I only sat there and held the coat. I didn't understand why, but I felt lonelier than ever. Something in my head told me that one day I would sit like that in another room, a beautiful room, remembering a time with someone that didn't exist any longer.
I held up the tunic. It was blue and decorated with gold. Tears ran down my cheeks when I put the tunic in a chest and closed it. Then I rose, crossed the huge bedroom and sat on the four-poster.
I stroke a hand over the place where he used to lay. Then I laid down and buried my face in the pillow. It smelled just like him. Peppermint, grass and earth. Tears ran down my cheeks and I started to sob, clenching the pillow and remembering all the times we had together. The times I cried and he was there to comfort me and even make me laugh. The times we shared in the night or early in the mornings.
I rolled over on my back and my eyes moved to a picture on the wall. It was a picture of five persons, but the two in the middle caught my interest. The man was high with light brown hair, a golden crown and beautiful blue eyes. The woman beside him had long, golden hair and violet eyes. She had a tiara in white gold with white stones in it. They both wore a beautiful wedding ring each.
It looked like if someone had just said something very funny, 'cause they were all laughing.
Under the picture it was written with golden letters from left to right: Queen Lucy the Valiant, Queen Susan the Gentle, High Queen Catharina the Guardian, High King Peter the Magnificent and King Edmund the Just.
I opened my eyes and shivered. Two names were ringing in my head. High Queen Catharina the Guardian and High King Peter the Magnificent.
Sigh. That was one more chapter. It took some time, but I managed it. Shall I tell you something? First I wrote six pages, then I erased them all and wrote six new pagesXD
Please, review. I would be really glad if you could tell me what you think about the development between Peter and Catty. Should I put in more arguments between those two? I'm loosing ideas hereXP