Normally, all children are innocent. They won't be able to feel doom even if it breathed down their necks, less of all if they were out having fun, playing to their little hearts content, not a care in the world for those frantic guardians that they left behind running around like headless chickens. They sure will receive a beating when they make it back home… so. Why bother?
That might be true for any other child. But you see, Hengist didn't have a loving family or a place to call home, he had to learn about the dangers of the world and its dark side from such a tender age, even if he was enjoying playing with his friends he noticed the minute someone started approaching them from behind.
Even if he didn't have previous experiences to warm him, he would have reacted the same way upon noticing this particular man. Miss Helga didn't like him and that was enough of a warning. You see, miss Helga liked everyone and she was real nice. If she didn't like you then there must be something really wrong with you.
As luck will have it, he was the only one who felt dangers impending approach and none of the other might understand his reasons for fearing this man… so he decided to run.
Run as if the faeries were chasing him to take him to their realm. And some of the other kids followed him thinking it was some sort of game.
He was really sorry for the kids that stayed behind but he really couldn't spare them any thoughts, not before reaching and adult, preferably miss Helga. She always listened.
She didn't dismiss the kids as a nuisance, it didn't matter how busy she was, or what she was doing. All the kids in town and even passerby loved her. She was the closest to a real angel he had known. Otherwise, older people were angry all the time, they always had so much to say and never wanted to listen. Now that he was in need, he wouldn't matter if the grumpy farmer on the outskirts of town himself would berate him to no end. He just wanted help. As of yesterday.
Dark tales told at the fireplace or whenever adults wanted to instill a healthy respect for some or the other.
Something wicked this way comes, sounds like a playful sentence but really it's not so innocent. You see, for the little redheaded kid that was tearing through the forest it was a reality. He didn't know what that man wanted but it couldn't be anything good, he felt it. For the first time in his short life he felt really threatened. Not those threats that people at town used, oh no.
The thickness of his darkness was painful to have around. Hengist ran as far as his little legs could carry him all the while begging for any deity or spirit that listened, for help in any possible form.
He didn't know if one of the others looked for help or if the man got them. He just ran as fast as is legs allowed him, you see, he knew this man wanted him.
He was sure the others will be safe from his clutches. With the same certainty that he held that the man wanted him, he knew his pursuer wouldn't settle for someone else. That's why he ran without any regrets for the others, just an afterthought.
The forest seemed alive around him, more than ever. Some of the energy he got out of it was calm and gentle as water, or kind of like a curious child. The other half… well. He really wouldn't want to be caught in the middle of something that hostile.
Like a rabid beast. That's the side of nature that gave its name and fame of being merciless with men. Child or no, Hengist knew he would be lost if he incurred in the anger of the forest god. Not to mention the Ancient ones.
Or the faeries. You'd have to be insane to anger the fairies.
He could listen to his pursuer; he was catching up. Tears of fright ran down pale little cheeks and burning lungs barely expelled any air, not to mention sobs.
He was getting desperate, and he was so afraid.
Where were the adults when you needed them?
…
The kids weren't anywhere in town, not backyards or even fields. Helga wasn't surprised, as luck had it. She knew just the spell that could help her find them, but she couldn't do it. At least not in front of everyone. She was about ready to wring her hair out… and they happened to find a toddler. The little girl was a sorry sight, covered in dirt from head to toe, she was crying and in her attempts to dry her tears she was smearing dirt all over her face.
In between hiccups and sobs she explained that the other lads had left her behind and had "fled" into the forest. Not needing anything more, Helga took off without needing to find out the whole story, she had what she needed, the children were in the forest, at the mercy of that degenerated bastard.
Even if Godric and Salazar were out and Rowena was nowhere to be found, she couldn't leave those children alone, she had to do something and shed sort out any issues later.
If someone came after her into the forest she really didn't mind, she took her wand and muttered a spell under her breath, following the pull of the wood and the wind at her back, she was tracking the reverend, not the kids. He´d be sorry if he touched even a hair of the kids.
…
Rowena was done with waiting for the other shoe to drop, she dedicated her time in trying to get information of her visions and taking care of Caspian to an extent. He was turning out to be beyond stubborn in some of his decisions, setting sail was something he wouldn't let go of. He really thought that he might find someone worthy if he just set sail.
So it was with a great deal of resignation that she found herself boarding the galleon in spite of the captain token protest about how women were bad news on a ship. She insisted on having a mirror and that didn't endear her to the captain or to the rest of the crew even more. They kept their distance and the king… Caspian seemed to be incredibly sad and also… happier than she had ever seen him as if he couldn't control his reactions, he ached.
She could picture him with the other crew members as one of them, he wasn't the sort of man that sat down and let others do the heavy lifting. But aged and sick he really didn't have a choice….
Taking pity on him, she distracted him whenever it was possible with questions about the qualities he wanted on his successor, amongst other things. Caspian kept quiet about his duties whenever they were on deck with the rest of the crew, but whenever they were alone he was open to discuss anything she wanted but not were someone else could hear. And she understood, really.
But it was somewhat frustrating since she knew they didn't have much time left. He was dying, her friend was dying.
She was ready to give a decent fight for Caspian, magic had to be useful at least for that, her magic always gave her what she wanted, protected her and for a long time it was about the only thing she could rely on. Why couldn't she put it to good use for saving Caspian´s life?
If only Helga was here.
Her friend was amazing and had a vast knowledge of plants and how to use them for cooking but also to cure disease. Or even Salazar with his potions knowledge, but he really hated non magical people, she didn't want to take the risk even if she thought that Caspian might be an exception to Salazar´s rule that "all non-magical folk were no better than animals". Whatever was wrong with Caspian had to do with that cough. If she managed to treat it… and also, if Caspian just… cooperated. Not even the best of treatments could give a will to live. If someone wanted to die they will fade away eventually. Even more when illness was involved.
He didn't have a will to fight and hold onto life. He was tired, he was sad. And somehow looking back it seemed as if God had abandoned him.
Yes, he was a king loved by his people, looked after and admired, but he had lost his family. Son and wife lost to who knows what. It seemed like something planned. It bugged her from the start, how Liliandil died for the snake bite and soon after. Rilian disappeared without a trace. Given Narnia´s history with witches, she kept quiet about her powers. But it seemed a magic user was messing around. Who?
If she could get a hold of the mysterious snake so Salazar could talk to it. Study it or find out if it had a master or mistress.
She missed her friends. If they were together, surely, without a doubt they could help Caspian, find Rilian.
And Narnia was such a lovely place… id be perfect for the school they wanted to build.
Rowena searched around for the place shed seen in her dream, or at least something that looked similar, but such a place was nowhere to be found in Narnia.
She knew the answers deep inside but… who in their right minds would want to leave paradise? It made more sense to share it with your loved ones and hold onto it.
She wanted Helga, Godric and Salazar here with her, that they were able to meet Caspian.
She had talked to them about her dearest friend but not about him living in another world they couldn't reach, even for magic users that seemed to farfetched. Specially in the times that they lived, were they had to flee and hide in order to survive and didn't have time to dwell in impossibilities.
She knew that Salazar would scoff at it. Godric and Helga might give her the benefit of the doubt or… try and look her up. And she really couldn't blame them, they needed to see in order to believe.
Of course, Rowena loved to be there. But she was torn because she also wanted to be with her friends. The pull and connection she felt with them was unprecedented.
Right now, to many things were happening for her to take a part in it. Suddenly they were going back to Narnia and she was caught up in a vision, the longest she´d had. A boy that seemed vaguely familiar and a girl accompanied by an extraordinarily tall creature with funny feet. They were deep underground at the mercy of a witch that held a young knight prisoner… one that looked familiar but also… otherworldly. Her heart skipped a beat.
Holding Caspian´s hand tight, she gave what little comfort she could.
She had a sense of calm around her, like an inner voice guiding her and telling her everything was as it should be.
And she told him so as he shared his regrets, that he might not be able to see his son again, that he should've taken better care of him, if so, maybe he wouldn't have disappear.
It really broke her heart… she adored him. And he didn't deserve this. But even if she was angry with the gods and any divine being responsible for all this, who turned deaf ears to his suffering… she could do anything about uncaring gods. She could only offer herself as a confidant and companion in his darkest hour. And even if it broke her, she won't miss a thing. He deserved that much and even more.