I hope you all like this chapter! Sorry it's short, but I didn't really have the time to write more.
Reviews:
Guest - Thank you
Guest - Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!
Crystal-Wolf-Guardian-967 - Thank you!
Guest - Thank you so much!
*Annabelle's P.O.V.*
We finally reached the shore and were all glad to stand up and regain the feeling in our legs after sitting in the boat for an hour or two. As soon as the boat hit the shore, Trumpkin jumped out of the boat, carrying the anchor with a rope attached to it, which was attached to the boat. Lucy quickly jumped out of the boat, followed by Susan. I stood up and while the boys jumped out of the boat, I took off my quiver with arrows and bow, and placed it on the seat in the boat, so that it wouldn't get in the way when we were pulling the boat further onto the shore. I then stepped over all the seats in the boat, and lifted my dress up to my ankles before grabbing onto Edmund's hand. He placed his other hand on my waist, and helped me out of the boat, making sure that I didn't fall in the process. I sent him a small smile in thanks, and he gave me a nod with a smile in return. I sighed in slight irritation. Lucy and Susan had no trouble getting out of the boat, but my dress didn't allow me to have such ease as them. Being the High Queen, my dresses were always longer than Susan and Lucy's, and even though they were beautiful and I absolutely loved them, in times like this when they only made life harder for me I wanted to rip them to shreds.
Trumpkin walked a little further away and embedded the anchor into the sand. Right after he did that, Susan, Edmund, Peter, and I started pulling the boat onto the shore, whilst Lucy wandered a little away, looking at the surroundings. No one really paid attention to her, as we were too busy pulling the boat out of the water.
"Oh, hello!" We hard Lucy's voice, causing us to turn around. We saw Lucy waling towards a huge, black bear with a friendly smile plastered on her face. Peter, Susan, and Edmund all smiled a small smile, glad that we found another Narnian, but my face held worry all over it. The bear did not have a magical aura around it like the animals back in the Golden Age. If anything, the aura was very similar to the animals back in our world. The bear then stood up on its back paws, and grunted. "It's alright, we're friends!" Lucy smiled, and I took a few cautious steps toward her. The bear fell back on four paws, and studied Lucy as if she was a meal.
"Lucy, I don't think this is such a good idea!" I called softly, but she didn't pay any attention to me. I took another few steps, ready to run to her and pull her away if anything happened.
"Don't move, Your Majesty!" Trumpkin called urgently, freezing at the sight of the bear. Lucy whipped around, looking at him in confusion. Seeing her movement, the bear started running toward her, making my heart stop.
"Oh no." I breathed out, and turned around, running towards the boat. Lucy turned around, hearing the grunts of the bear, and then started running back to us.
"Stay away from her!" Susan yelled, loading her bow and aiming at the bear. I quickly took out my quiver from the boat, and slung it over my shoulder, as the boys grabbed their swords. Suddenly Lucy tripped and fell, turning around to stare at the bear in bewilderment and fear. She lied on her back, as the bear kept charging.
"Shoot! Susan, shoot!" I yelled, running over to stand next to my older sister, loading my bow in the process. Lucy screamed in terror as the bear stood back on its back two paws, ready to maul her. Trying not to think about anything, I released my arrow, letting it hit the bear square in the chest. The bear fell back, but my brows furrowed in confusion when I saw another arrow embedded in the bear, next to mine. Lucy turned around, still on the ground, and looked at Susan, expecting to see her without an arrow. I glanced at Susan as well, but saw her bow still loaded. I then followed Lucy's gaze, and we all turned around to look at Trumpkin, who was holding his bow. He looked at me and Susan for a second, and then started walking towards Lucy.
"Why wouldn't he stop?" Susan asked in disbelief.
"I suspect he was hungry." Trumpkin replied dryly, walking past us. The boys quickly ran over to Lucy, and Trumpkin walked over calmly. I looked at Susan, trying to control my breathing. This isn't the place we used to call home. This isn't the place we know. She gave me an understanding look, and placed her hand on my shoulder before we both walked over to the rest. Peter pulled Lucy up and wrapped a protective arm around her. She hugged him tightly, and the boys kept their swords pointed at the bear. Trumpkin walked over to the bear and started poking it with his bow.
"Thank you." Lucy said quietly, and I smiled a small smile, placing my hand on her shoulder, whilst Trumpkin gave her a nod in acknowledgment.
"He was wild." Edmund said in disbelief, dropping the arm that held his sword back to his side.
"I don't think he could talk at all." Peter said softly, glancing between us and the bear.
"Get treated like a dumb animal long enough, and that's what you become." Trumpkin stated sorrowfully, making us frown. He then took out his knife, and knelt down next to the bear. "Narnia may be a more savage place than you remember." He said, and then stabbed the knife into the bear's heart, making me close my eyes and turn around, not wanting to see this. I could hear Lucy crying softly into Peter's chest. Edmund saw me trying to stop myself from crying, and walked over to me, placing a comforting arm around my shoulders. I buried my face in his chest, waiting for all of this to be over. Edmund may be younger than me, but ever since we returned to England, he had been more protective of me than ever. Especially after the boys in school started to flirt with me. Since Peter was constantly getting into the fights, he didn't pay as much attention. But Edmund saw how the boys looked at me, and it made him furious. We have grown closer during the Golden Age, and we stayed very close even after we returned to England. He has also grown closer to Lucy, Susan as well. He and Peter now have a much better relationship than before we came to Narnia, but it's worse than it was in the Golden Age. Peter is now distancing himself from us, and it's making us worried. We don't want to lose our older brother.
*Third Person's P.O.V., Shuddering Woods*
"Reepicheep! Stay your blade!" The Badger called out to the mouse that was still standing on Caspian's chest.
"Trufflehunter?" Reepicheep looked at his old friend in confusion. "I hope you have a very good reason for getting in between a mouse and its victim." He stated seriously.
"He doesn't. Go ahead." Nikabrik said, not caring whether the Prince was going to get killed or not. In fact, he was hoping he would.
"It was him who opened the locket!" Trufflehunter explained, making the mouse look at Caspian in confusion.
"What?" He breathed out, dropping his sword back to his side.
"Then let him bring it forward!" A voice was heard, and they all turned around to see four centaurs. "Its light is the reason we have gathered."
