Author's Note: Here is chapter sixteen. Enough stalling, time to apologize. I am so sorry for the wait. I have been so busy and writers block is a pain. Hopefully I will have chapter seventeen up by Christmas.
Disclaimer: Chronicles of Narnia belongs to C.S. Lewis. I own nothing but the original characters.
Bright sunlight streamed between the trees and right towards the spot where Edmund and Maria were sleeping. Maria woke up slowly once the light hit her; she was not used to waking up at the crack of dawn. After a few tries at going back to sleep Maria found it impossible and sat up rubbing her eyes.
The first thing she noticed when she sat up was the fact that Edmund was still asleep. How could he sleep in the light? Thinking back to their previous conversation it was clear that he was used to it after traveling for years.
As soon as Maria stood up she groaned and grabbed her back. Sleeping outside was not very comfortable, and now there was a long day ahead and she was sore. But then again, why was she complaining, Edmund was in a horrible state, and chances are he wouldn't complain.
Rather than just wasting time Maria stood up and walked over towards the horses. Almost immediately she was greeted by Ramillo's loud chatter.
"What are you doing awake at this early hour? Could you not sleep? I slept well but those horses kept on shifting and it was so difficult to get some shut eye. As a rabbit I am naturally more sensitive than other creatures. I'm always on high alert and I have superior hearing, have you seen how huge my ears are?" he pause for a moment for Maria to answer him.
Yawning Maria answered, "Yes, your ears are very… huge."
Ramillo shot up and sat on his hind legs. "Lady Maria, as a friend you are not supposed to agree with me when I insult myself!"
"Ramillo, lower your voice, let Edmund get some sleep."
"I can be quieter." Ramillo got back on all fours. "Are my ears really that big?"
"No, they are just the right size."
"So you lied to me?"
Maria looked around for something to do to avoid further conversation. She then caught sight of the swords sitting in the grass. "I couldn't sleep in the light, so instead of wasting time, I am going to get some practice in. Can you tell Edmund that I will be," Maria looked around for a spot. She noticed a clearing that was not surrounded by trees. "Over there."
"Of course I will," he said taking a seat in the pile of grass.
Maria went over to the horses where the swords were. Carefully she picked up one of the three swords trying not to make too much noise. She went over to a clearing where she had pointed out earlier. She raised the sword to swing at a tree then stopped herself.
One of the stories Edmund had told her was about the trees being alive. She didn't quite believe him but she didn't want to take a chance. So she wandered around until she found a log hanging into the river that was caught on the rocks.
Maria scooted onto the edge and reached into the river where she was able to grab the log. With a struggle she pulled it onto the shore and propped up the log. Ready to swing the sword she stopped herself again. What if the tree log was still alive? She didn't know much about the Narnians yet. After all, they were just myths to her.
How could she get any practice when everything could be alive? But she needed to practice; Edmund thought her father had trained her. But he never did, women did not fight, if they did it was considered an outrage. It was easy to see why Queen Susan fighting was such a shock to the soldiers.
Maria once again got back on track. She gave the sword a small swing, trying to get used to the weight, which was of course heaver than she expected. Maria was not exactly sure what she was doing, but she saw her father always give a sword a few small swings up and down.
She spun around with the sword in hand, but she didn't expect that it would pull her along. Maria swung with all of her power, but she forgot to stop herself so she tripped over her feet. Regaining her balance Maria tried again, bracing herself for the swing.
"Move you arm over a little. It will help, trust me."
Maria screamed jumped in surprise dropping the sword. She turned around and saw Edmund holding two apples, smirking.
"You scared me."
Edmund stepped forward. "You woke me up."
"Sorry," Maria replied, embarrassed that Edmund had seen that she was completely unsuccessful at fighting.
"Care for something to eat?" Edmund asked holding out the apple. Maria nodded silently and started walking towards Edmund when his voice stopped her. "You might want to put that back." Edmund pointed at the sword. "A creature might not look ahead and run straight into it."
Maria once again felt her cheeks flush, but she quickly turned around to hide her embarrassment. Taking a few steps back Maria quickly picked up the sword and returned it to its original place. She found Edmund sitting on the log already eating his apple.
"So I take it your father never trained you?" Edmund asked before taking another bite.
"I'm afraid not."
Edmund shrugged and handed Maria the other apple in his hand. Maria stared at it for a moment unsure of what to say. When Maria looked up Edmund was staring at her with one eyebrow raised. "Maria do you want me to start the apple for you or something else bothering you?"
"No thank you. I can start the apple just fine myself." Slowly Maria took a big bite out of the apple keeping her eyes closed as if that would help block out the sound. Once again Maria looked up and saw Edmund giving her another strange look.
"Do you not like apples?"
"I love apples, it's just the," Maria was humiliated by the odd quirk that had ruined so many good meals for her. "Sound of the apple crunching."
There was a moment of silence, Maria awkwardly waited for Edmund's response. After another pause of silence, Edmund's laughter filled the air.
"The crunching sound?" Edmund asked with a smile. "Maria you are one of the most interesting people I have ever met, and as a King I have met quite a lot of people. On one end you help out a complete stranger, but on the other you seem to be almost afraid of apples!"
Maria smiled, thankful that he did not think she was strange. "I am not afraid of apples. The sound just bothers me to no end." Maria soon found herself also laughing at the ridicules idea of her pet peeve. "I suppose as a king, you don't have any pet peeves?"
Edmund looked down, then back up at her. "I have a few, like any normal person."
"Care to share?" Maria asked looking for some answers.
"Well for starters, I strongly dislike loud talkers. Back in the Golden Age this one princess came to visit and as we would sit there eating she would just talk about her life, and so loudly. It was like she couldn't understand that we could hear her just fine without the shouting. When she wanted to talk during a meeting, I would tell her to whisper. But she only lowered her voice to what we would count as normal," Edmund ranted.
"That makes sense." Maria admitted. "Now onto another subject, should we pack up camp and head onward towards your family?"
"The sooner we get there the better." E dmund pushed himself off the log and walked closer towards the horses. "Susan and Lucy must be panicking about Miraz's arrival."
Maria took another bite of her apple and followed him. "If you could take the logs we used for the fire and scatter them a bit, we do not want people realizing there was a camp set up here," Edmund finished. "Could you also be so nice as to wake up Ramillo?"
Edmund went off towards the horses to get them ready to leave, Maria headed off into her own direction where the logs sat in a pile. Picking one up she tossed it in one direction, she continued going on with the pattern of picking up logs and throwing them towards the deep areas of the forest. Picking up the last two of the logs she headed over to where Ramillo was sound asleep.
Ramillo was lying on his back with his legs spread out and his mouth wide open. "Ramillo, time to get up, we are heading out soon," she poked him in the stomach.
The talkative rabbit shot up immediately and began spinning. "Who did that? I felt someone poke my stomach, I will kick you, and I have very powerful legs!" He saw Maria looking down on him. "Oh hello Lady Maria, how can I be of service?"
"I was just supposed to wake you up and tell you we will be leaving soon." Ramillo straightened up and stretched his legs.
Edmund walked up towards them with Tulio and Melosa in tow. "Ready to go?"
Ramillo and Maria neared the horses, Maria jumped up onto Melosa. "Ramillo do you want a ride?" Maria asked.
Ramillo jumped up, "That would be wonderful, obviously I am fast but I cannot keep up with such strong horses. Did you know I once, before the raid, I raced Chennault, one of the females? Of course she won, but it was very close. King Edmund, Lady Maria you should have seen me go."
Edmund smiled and scooped Ramillo up into his arms and placed him on Tulio. Then he jumped on and scooted Ramillo into the space between his arms. "Comfortable?"
"Very much, thank you King Edmund."
Maria waited patiently and smiled at Edmund. "Show the way."
At the river a messenger rode up to where Glozelle was meeting with Miraz on plans for the bridge. Jumping off the horse he bowed then rose and turned to Glozelle. "I have a message from Lord Sopespian for the General."
Glozelle creased his brow in confusion then waited for the messenger to speak.
"General," the messenger began. "As you are aware we had the false King Edmund as a prisoner in our dungeons. A guard was found strangled to death after we sent him to go retrieve the prisoner for interrogation. We assume that Edmund used the chains to kill the guard then took his keys. Before we could capture the prisoner he ran out into the courtyard and took your daughter at knife point, threatening to kill her if we did not allow him to leave. He then escaped with your daughter as hostage. I extend my deepest condolences for your loss. Lord Sopespian." The messenger rolled up the parchment and waited for orders.
Glozelle stared ahead blankly before regaining his sense. He numbly waved the messenger away. First all he felt was sadness, then rage built up inside and he turned went from soldier to father in a matter of seconds.
"King Miraz this never would have happened if you did not make me leave so soon! I could have stayed with her just a little longer! Why did you need me here? All I do is give orders! I should have stayed with her; I had only been home for a few days!" Glozelle shouted with all the hurt and frustration pouring out. He knew the consequences for insulting a king, but at that moment he did not care. "King Miraz, send out another search party, let me go look for her!"
"General, I am sorry for your loss. But there is nothing I can do," Miraz waited looking at his old friend; tears filled the rims of Glozelle's eyes.
"I can do something; let me go look for her." Glozelle waited for a reaction. "Please." Glozelle's voice broke. "Miraz. I am not asking you as a soldier, but as your old friend. Let me go find my daughter."
Miraz stared for a moment. "I am sorry, but I cannot allow that until we finish the bridge."
"The bridge means nothing! What is more important to you: a child or a bridge?"
"You do not understand. The sooner we get to the Narnians, the better chance we have of finding your daughter."
"No. You are the one who does not understand. My daughter is gone, that savage king has her! Tell me what would you do if it was your son or your wife who was lost out there?"
"I would send out a search party, as we have for your daughter, unfortunately they returned empty handed." Glozelle opened his mouth to speak, Miraz cut him off. "But my kingdom comes first, and so should your responsibilities. How do you intend on getting these soldiers across the river?"
"They can ride on horses, King Miraz!"
"We have war machines. General, I understand your pain but there is nothing we can do."
"Please, I do not fear the forest. Just allow me to take a few men and go search."
Glozelle sat down and covered his face. Soldiers don't cry. But this soldier was at his breaking point. He had lost his wife, and his daughter was not leaving him. After gathering himself he called over the messenger.
"Take this to Sopespian. Tell him that I was all the guards possible to come join us and help finish what we started. Replace the guards with men from the village. That is an order." The messenger nodded then jumped on the horse and headed towards the castle.
Glozelle took a breath. "Men!" he shouted and a crowd began to form. "We are now extending time. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are hereby shortened, and we will now wake earlier and stay up later. This bridge should be done in two days at the most! Any person who is not working can and will be punished! For each day the bridge is not completed, the time of work will be extended! Dismissed!"
The crowd parted and went back to their work. Glozelle then turned to Miraz. "Your bridge will be finished and my daughter found." Miraz smiled as Glozelle stormed off into a tent.
"Susan, did you here? Edmund escaped," Lucy whispered to her sister as they hid behind the trees near the Telmarine development. The sisters had heard the whole message. "I told you he was still alive, and that he would escape."
A proud smile crept across Susan's face. That was her little brother, strong as always. "He never stops amazing me." Susan looked at Lucy. "Now, I do not want you to believe that Edmund took some girl captive. Remember Miraz is a cruel man and probably was lying."
"I know Edmund would never do that. But what should we do? Do we tell Peter?" Lucy questioned.
"If we do, he will only want to go look himself and Peter could get seriously hurt and hurt others along the way."
"Susan, we cannot just wait for Edmund to return. What if he is injured?"
"I thought about this." Susan pulled her sister deeper into the forest. "I want you to go back to the how and keep Peter calm. You have seen what he can do."
"You make it seem like you are not returning."
"I am going after Edmund." Susan waited for her sister's reaction before continuing. "I will take Chennault from this point and find him. You will wait until night fall to tell Peter I have left, that way I will be far enough to where he cannot stop me."
"How will you find Ed?"
A voice came from the tree. "Of course I will lead the way." Harken the Swift flew down to the Queens and perched by Susan.
"Sir Harken arrived a few moments ago. I spoke with him just before the messenger arrived," Susan explained.
"I thought you were checking for spies?" Lucy asked, confused.
"I was, and then I ran into Harken and he told me everything."
"Susan, be careful. I cannot loose you too." Lucy wrapped Susan in an embrace.
Still holding onto her sister, Susan offered words of comfort. "When I return you will have both Edmund and I. I have no fear, for Aslan is with me."
"At least take my cordial-" Lucy insisted but Susan stopped her.
"You will need it to help the soldiers. I can take care of Ed."
Susan helped Lucy onto her horse then gave her a smile. Susan pulled herself up onto Chennault.
"Be quick and careful, my sister." Lucy said a goodbye. "I love you."
"Be watchful and kind, my sister." Susan responded. "I love you."
With that Susan left Lucy behind to follow Harken into the woods.
So we have some new ideas. Edmund and Maria become closer to home and closer to each other, Glozelle goes from soldier to father, and Susan goes to find her brother. I hope you enjoyed it! Please review!