Ester walked alongside Edmund as the group walked away from the ruins and towards the beach. Susan and Peter were bickering about what may have occurred while they had been absent in Narnia. They led the small group Lucy was just looking around as she walked in front of Ester and Edmund. Edmund was chatting about some nice memories when Peter and Susan came to a halt. Ester hands instantly went to the dual swords positioned on her hips. She'd missed them. Susan had suddenly drawn her bow and shot an arrow. Ester ran forward to see what was going on. There were two men holding a dwarf over the water. The dwarf was tied up. This was a murder.
"Let him go!" Susan shouted aiming another arrow.
Immediately, the dwarf looked panicked. The soldiers looked startled, so they dropped the dwarf into the water. One of the soldiers crouch down, most likely to retrieve a weapon, so Ester drew one of her swords. Susan released the string sending an arrow flying at the men. It hit one while the other dove into the water. He swam away without looking back. Peter ran for the water, ripping his sword and shield off as he did, and jumped in without hesitating to save the dwarf. Ester picked up Peter's sword and shield. Edmund went to pull in the boat. When Peter returned to the surface he had the dwarf safely in his arms. He brought him to shore where Lucy cut his bonds.
"Drop him?" The dwarf said immediately. "That's the best you could come up with?"
"A simple thank you would suffice," Susan scoffed.
"They were doing fine drowning me without your help," the dwarf said.
"Maybe we should have let him," Peter said. Ester rolled her eyes. The Peter she married would never have said something so cruel to a man who had just barely escaped death. He would've been kind, and patient. It was like Narnia was diseased and some air born virus turned the innocence of the land into something harsher.
"Why were they trying to kill you anyway?" Lucy asked, upset. Violence like this hadn't been tolerated under the Pevensie's rule.
"They're Telmarines. That's what they do," the dwarf said, rolling his eyes. Clearly, the dwarf had no idea that this lot hadn't been to Narnia in hundreds of years.
"Telmarines? In Narnia?" Edmund asked, scrunching his eyes.
"Where have you been for the last few hundred years?" the dwarf asked.
"It's a bit of a long story." Lucy said, smiling. She never lost her patience.
Ester handed Peter back his sword. They were heavy, meaning Ester had lost all of the muscle mass she'd spent years training to achieve. Or maybe it was gone the moment they stepped back through the wardrobe. She couldn't remember. Peter took his things back and put it back around his waist. Peter gave Ester a polite smile. The kind of smile one would give to a stranger as they passed on the street. It wasn't warm and welcoming like they typically were to her. The dwarf took interest in the sword. A look of astonishment crossed over his face.
"Oh you've got to be kidding me. Your it? You're the kings and queens of old?" the dwarf asked.
"High King Peter, the Magnificent," Peter said, holding out his hand to the dwarf.
"You probably could have left out the last part," Ester joked. Peter glanced at her with a warning look. He didn't like her being so condescending in front of someone who already didn't seem to respect Peter's authority. Peter also seemed to over estimate that authority.
"Probably," the dwarf said, chuckling. Ester liked everyone to know that even though they were kings and queens, they were still very approachable.
"You might be surprised," Peter said, drawing his sword. Starting a fight to assert dominance? Really?
"Oh, you don't want to do that, boy," the dwarf said.
"Not me, him," Peter said, looking at Edmund. Ed had always been such a good swordsman.
"What's your name?" Lucy asked as Peter held out his sword.
"Trumpkin," the dwarf answered, grabbing the sword, the tip fell to the sand quickly.
"Good luck," Susan said.
Edmund smiled at Peter who only smirked back. Suddenly, Trumpkin swung his sword knocking Ed's out of the way. Edmund ducked out of the way only to be struck in the face by Trumpkin. The fight continued for another bunch of swings. They were both very good competitors, but something told Ester that the duel would go to Edmund. He spent years perfecting his skill. And didn't stop once they had gotten back to Finchley Edmund ducked and jumped out of the way. Soon, Trumpkin was disarmed and on his knees.
"Beards and bedsteads! Maybe that horn worked after all," Trumpkin said, looking up at them. Disblief written all over his face.
"What horn?" Susan asked.
"Oh, I think you know which horn," Trumpkin said, getting to his feet.
"C'mon, let's take this boat and row down Glasswater," Peter said, moving towards the boat Edmund had secured. "We best get to the Narnians as soon as possible."
"But what about my horn?" Susan asked, following Edmund.
"What about it?" Peter asked.
They all got into the boat. Susan scowled all the while. Ester sat down with Susan and Lucy as the boat began to slowly float down Glasswater. It was serene, and seemed to be the only peace they would get in this 'new' Narnia. Something was very, very wrong here. And it drove Ester mad that she wasn't here to protect anyone. But at the same time, if she had stayed – she wouldn't even be alive now. Lucy looked to the trees and sighed deeply.
"They're so still." Lucy said.
"They're trees, what do you expect?" Trumpkin asked, cackling.
"They used to dance." Lucy frowned.
"It wasn't long after you left that the Telmarines invaded. Those that survived retreated to the woods. And the trees have retreated so deeply inside themselves that no one had heard from them since." Trumpkin explained. That sentence alone broke Esters heart. They would've been alive to prevent this. They could've helped the Narnians fight against the Telmarines. Ester would've rather died trying than abandon the people she cared so deeply for.
"I don't understand. How could Aslan have let this happen?" Lucy asked. Ester shrugged when Lucy looked at her.
"Aslan? I thought he abandoned us after you lot did," Trumpkin said.
"We didn't mean to leave you know," Peter said.
"Doesn't make much difference now, does it?" Trumpkin asked.
"Get us to the Narnians, and it will..." Peter said. Ester had seen the look on his face before, it's what he looked like when determination set in. He was ready to fight.
When they reached the shore they all got out of the boat. Trumpkin took control of tying down the boat. Peter was looking around with his hands on his hips. Ester was talking idly with Susan.
"I'm just saying, the horn is really helpful, we should at least consider looking for it," Susan said.
"Don't move, you majesty!" Trumpkin shouted.
Ester turned to see Lucy standing near a bear. Ester thought nothing of it until the bear began to charge at Lucy. What was it doing? That's when Esters heart began to beat faster. It went faster with every step of the bear. Susan put an arrow to the string and aimed at the bear.
"Stay away from her!" Susan shouted.
"Susan, shoot!" Edmund shouted at Susan.
The bear continued to charge. Lucy screamed and fell over while trying to get away. An arrow hit the side of the bear. Ester saw Susan's bow still drawn. Susan looked over her shoulder at Trumpkin. Ester followed her lead and realized he's the one that shot.
"Why wouldn't he stop?" Susan asked.
"I expect he was hungry," Trumpkin said as though it was obvious.
Everyone began to run to Lucy but Peter was the fastest. He held his sword in a defensive way. The blade pointed at the fallen bears body.
"He was wild," Edmund said finally getting it.
"I don't think he could talk at all," Peter said, looking his sister over for scratches.
"Get treated like a dumb animal for long enough and that's what you become," Trumpkin said drawing a knife. "You may find Narnia a much more savage place than you remember."
Ester looked away when Trumpkin cut into the bear. She couldn't stand to look anymore. This Narnia scared her. She was suppose to be the Guardian of the Spirit. But she just wanted to go home. How could she possibly protect the spirit of Narnia when she couldn't even keep her own spirits up. Ester didn't know what to do, but she had to figure it out. And soon. Narnia will only get worse, until someone makes it better. When Trumpkin was done, whatever he was doing, they set off, walking through the trees.
Peter led the way guiding them as he had many times before. Although, something seemed off. The pathways she remembered were gone. And the landscape seemed slightly different. Had she been remembering it wrong? Or has it just changed that much? Ester pondered this while following the lead of the High King. Peter suddenly stopped and began to look around confused. Ester walked up to him and asked what the problem was.
"Nothing, I'm just, uh, it's nothing," Peter said brushing her off and walking again. Ester walked beside him.
"I don't remember this way at all," Susan said.
"That's the problem with girls. You can't carry a map in your heads," Peter said smugly. Ester whacked him with a mock offended expression. He just smiled.
"That's because our heads have something in them," Lucy said. Ester laughed.
"I wish he'd just listen to the DLF," Susan said.
"DLF?" Edmund asked his sisters.
"Dear Little Friend," Lucy said happily. The chirp in her voice was inspiring.
"Oh, that's not at all patronizing, is it?" Trumpkin said, sarcastically making a few people chuckle. Ester suspected he may have kind of liked the attention.
Peter stepped into a rock passage and then stop. He looked around confused for a moment. Ester looked over his face. He was obviously confused but his ego was stopping him from asking for help. Instead of saying anything, she just looked around. One of the nearby trees had a deep scratch in it. Looked more like a mark from a sword. The cut was clean, not jagged or accompanied by more marks like an aminal scratch would be. There was some sort of sword fight here.
"I'm not lost," Peter said quietly.
"No, you're just going the wrong way," Trumpkin said.
"You said you last saw Caspian at the Shuddering Wood, and the quickest way there is to cross at the river rush," Peter said, clarifying his plan.
"But, unless I'm mistaking, there's no crossing at the river rush," Trumpkin argued.
"That explains it then. You're mistaken," Peter said, continuing on. Ester felt bad for Trumpkin, because she actually did believe him but she also believed in Peter. So she was unsure of what to do.
Everyone began to trudge on behind him. They'd been here less than a day and Peter was already a little power hungry. Ester wanted to follow Trumpkin as he'd been living in the new Narnia. But she didn't want to defy Peter, she trusted him more than anyone else in the world. They were soon at the river rush, and it was nothing but a huge gorge. There was no crossing here. Peter was wrong. Ester sighed as she got closer and closer to the edge. Her feet were at the very edge when Peter pulled her back slightly. He was worried she would fall, she could see it in his eyes. Ester blushed at the ground.
"Over hundreds of years, water eroded the earth's soil -" Susan was cut off by Peter.
"Oh, shut up," Peter had said rolling his eyes. "Is there a way down?"
"Yeah, falling. Come. There's a fort at Beruna. Any of you mind swimming?" Trumpkin asked, starting to walk away.
"Anything's better than walking," Susan muttered following him.
Peter grabbed Esters hand and began to tug her along. But suddenly, Lucy began shouting that Aslan was there. Ester turned only to see Lucy pointing behind her while looking at the group. Everyone looked passed her but saw nothing but trees. Ester furrowed her brow but she felt her stomach drop. Lucy had seen Aslan. He's watching them. The thought was reassuring, and made her oh so happy. But, he couldn't be watching, that wouldn't explain why he didn't do anything about to the Telmarines. He would help, wouldn't he? No. No. Ester had always believed in Lucy, and she wouldn't stop now.
"Do you see him now?" Trumpkin asked.
"I'm not crazy. He was there. He wanted us to follow him," Lucy said, looking across the gorge.
"I'm sure there are any number of lions in this wood. Just like that bear," Peter said.
"I think I know Aslan when I see him," Lucy said turning back to them.
"Look, I'm not about to jump off a cliff after someone who doesn't exist," Trumpkin said.
"The last time I didn't believe Lucy, I ended up looking pretty stupid," Edmund said. Ester smiled, and looked to Peter hopefully. He didn't look convinced.
"Why wouldn't I have seen him?" Peter asked looking passed Lucy again.
"Maybe you weren't looking," Lucy suggested in a small voice.
"I'm sorry, Lu," Peter said, turning and gesturing for Trumpkin to lead the way.
They began walking again. Peter was talking to Trumpkin about what has happened so Ester slipped away and went to chat with Lucy. Lucy looked sad, and almost betrayed.
"You know I believe you, right Lu?" Ester asked putting her arm around the smaller girls shoulders.
"Why didn't you say something to Peter?" Lucy asked crossing her arms.
"You know your brother just as well as I do. You know how stubborn he is," Ester said and Lucy looked at Ester through her peripherals.
"You should have spoken up," Lucy said dropping her arms.
"You're right, I should have. Next time, I will alright? I have duties you know. You may be Queen of Narnia, but I have to keep the spirit alive. It's hard work," Ester said jokingly fanning herself. Lucy laughed. Ester was just trying to make Lucy feel better. In reality she thought the spirit may already be dead.
"Oh stop, I forgive you," Lucy said, putting her arm around Esters waist.
"That's my girl," Ester said.
They continued walking until they reached the fort. The Telmarines were constructing a bridge, directly in the path they needed to get across. Ester hid behind the giant pile of logs as she watched them work in the heat of the day. Peter gestured for everyone to fall back and into the trees where they could talk without being noticed.
"Perhaps this wasn't the best way after all," Susan said. Lucy looked dignified.
"Now what do we do?" Peter asked Trumpkin.
"Let me think a second, would you?" Trumpkin said, rubbing the bridge of his nose aggressively.
"I think we should go back to the gorge and follow Aslan, don't you think so, Lucy?" Ester suggested winking at Lucy.
"Yeah, that's what we should do," Lucy said, smiling.
"I agree," Ed said standing beside Lucy.
"We've been there, it'll be a waste of time. We've seen that there's no way across," Peter said exasperated. His stubborn attitude already causing problems.
"Oh, just like the only wood is the back of the wardrobe?" Edmund challenged raising an eyebrow.
"Fine! We'll go back, but if you're wrong you're doing as told no questions asked, you got it?" Peter said. Lucy nodded. Peter looked at Ester and shook his head.
"Sorry, if he's mad at you," Lucy said while she walked beside Ester back the way they came.
"It's alright, he'll get over it," Ester said.
"He has to. You guys are forever," Lucy said.
"That was profound," Ester joked, slinging an arm around Lucy. Lucy giggled and pushed her off. "Seriously Lu, wow, philosophical."
"Oh, shut it," Lucy said, crossing her arms.
"Will you both be quiet? I'm trying to think," Peter snapped turning to face them.
Ester walked up to him and looked him straight in the eye challenging him. He didn't back down so she stood on her tip toes and brought their lips together. Ester brought a hand to his cheek. It took a moment for Peter to lose his anger, longer than usual actually. But it faded all the same. Peter wrapped his arms around her waist. He pulled her body against his tightly. She pulled away from the kiss at the sound of a cough. Edmund stood there awkwardly staring at them.
"Are we going to go or ...?" Edmund asked trailing off at the end.
"Yeah, let's go find Aslan." Peter said. He sounded way happier than before. Ester knew exactly how to work that boy.
The rest of the walk there was short. Lucy was ahead of everyone with a Cheshire grin painted on her face. Everyone else was scattered behind; but no one was saying anything. Susan and Trumpkin were both set on proving Lucy wrong. Edmund and Peter were both on the verge of believing her. Ester and Lucy both had faith in Aslan. Ester's was unstable, and teetering on the edge of a cliff but it was still there. They arrived back at the spot by the gorge in a few more short minutes.
"Wow, it's almost as if there's still no crossing here," Trumpkin said, looking down.
"Where do you think you saw Aslan?" Peter asked, completely ignoring Trumpkin.
"I wish you'd all stop acting like grown-ups. I didn't think I saw him, I did see him," Lucy said.
"I am a grown up..." Trumpkin said but he was once again ignored.
"It was right around..." Lucy walked towards the edge. The ground below her gave and Lucy let out a shriek of surprise. Everyone ran to the edge only to see Lucy sitting a few feet below them smiling. "Here." Lucy finished.
There was a narrow path leading down towards the waters edge. Lucy climbed back up so that way Peter could lead the down the path in case trouble arose, but Ester seriously doubted it would. At the bottom of the walkway there was a stone trail across the water that was sturdy enough to cross over. Once on the other side they walked for another hour before decided to set up camp for the rest of the night.
"Will the Telmarines come looking at night?" Peter asked as he prepped a fire.
"For Caspian? Maybe." Trumpkin answered. Ester looked up to see the sky quickly becoming dark.
"What do you know about him?" Peter asked as the fire roared to life. He leaned back.
"Nothing really, just that he was in the woods. My friend may have killed him. I honestly don't know," Trumpkin said lying back.
"You left him with someone that may kill him?" Susan asked horrified.
"I didn't exactly mean to get kidnapped." Trumpkin scoffed. "When I was bound and gagged and whisked away from my home he was left with two of my friends."
"Who are they?" Lucy asked.
"Trufflehunter and Nikabrik. A badger and a dwarf," Trumpkin said. "I can only hope they weren't killed."
"And you think they may have killed Caspian?" Susan asked. Trumpkin rolled his eyes.
"Did I not just say that I don't know? Nikabrik isn't exactly a friendly fellow, but these days .. who is?" Trumpkin asked rhetorically. "But, Trufflehunter wouldn't have killed him. That's the hope you have to cling to these days, I guess. Some people still find a way to be good in dark times."
The conversation ended there. The sky was pitch black within half an hour. Everyone laid back trying to get as comfortable as they could on the hard ground. Peter laid on his back while Ester cuddled into his side. Ester always felt so at home while she fell asleep next to Peter. Anywhere with Peter was her utopia. She was aware that made her seem naive to adults, and she was aware that she was opening her heart for heartbreak. But she trusted Peter, and she knew he would never even dream of hurting her.
Hundreds of years ago their love was spoken of by many. It was rumoured to be the purest, and truest love in all of Narnia. Everyone who knew them, knew this rumour to be true. Peter could spend all day doing the hardest work, and doing the toughest tasks entrusted to the King and his smile would still light up when she walks into the room. She's the only one who can calm him down when his temper gets lost. Ester and Peter have something that not everyone will have. They have true love, they have a love that will make them feel twenty when they're actually eighty. Their love will stand the test of time. Their love is forever.
