Helena Pevensie (Caspian Love Story)

12. Back for Good

"What is it, Lucy?" Helena asked, coming into the cabin they shared. In truth, it was Caspian's, but he had insisted the two of them share it instead.

"Oh, I was just wondering where you were," she explained, emerging from behind the small divider behind which they could change. They had managed to get a few clothes that fit better than Caspian's things while in the Lone Islands so Helena moved to the pile and began folding them to put away.

"I was on the deck," she explained. "Talking to Caspian."

Raising an eyebrow, Lucy replied, "Oh?"

Brows furrowed, Helena said, "What?"

"Nothing," Lucy replied, but she was smirking.

Growing irritated, Helena snapped, "Oh, come on, Lucy. Out with it."

"You like him, don't you?" Lucy said.

Blushing, Helena countered, "Of course I like him, doesn't everyone?"

"Stop, you know what I mean," Lucy said with a laugh, snatching the pair of pants Lena had begun folding.

"Come off it," Helena said with a laugh, snatching the pants back. Once they were folded, she put everything away and changed for the night.

As she was going to sleep, Lucy said, "Whatever you say, Lena."

The next morning, Helena came on deck just in time to hear a small scream. She rushed over as Lucy said, "Look." From one of the baskets on deck emerged a young girl.

"Gael?" It was the man from the Lone Islands. "What are you doing here?" When she said nothing, he approached, wrapping his arms around her. Drinian stepped forward, an unreadable expression on his face and an orange in his hand.

"Looks like we have an extra crew member," he remarked in his low, gravelly voice, holding out the orange toward her. She gave a small smile, accepting it meekly.

"Welcome aboard," Lucy said.

"Your majesty," she replied with a small curtsey.

"Call me Lucy. Come on," she urged.

"And I'm Helena," Lena introduced, wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulders as Drinian shouted, "Come on, look lively. Back to work."

"Gael, was it?" Helena said. She nodded. "It's nice to meet you, Gael." The girl offered a timid smile before following behind them to where the three would be sleeping.

The following morning was bright and warm with a cool breeze running through the ropes and pushing effortlessly against the sails. They made rather good pace, going far faster than anyone, aside from perhaps Drinian, had anticipated. Helena had woken early that morning and went down to the kitchen to get her rations before going to the bow of the ship with them. There she, as many often did, found the mouse Reepicheep. Helena had not had as much of a shock as Eustace from the talking animals but it had taken a few days for her to feel comfortable in conversation with them.

Now, however, she felt perfectly at ease as she greeted, "Hello, Reepicheep. How are you?"

"Very well, your majesty," he replied, glancing back. She shook her head. She would never get used to that title. "And how are you?"

"Very well, thank you," she replied. After a pause, she inquired, "Have you any idea when we might see land next?"

"When we approach, I shall have an answer," he replied. Helena laughed. It was a light, musical noise that came and went as easily as light through a window. Lucy looked up from her sewing with a smile. She had missed that laugh.

Helena's dark hair was delicately pinned up in an elegant bun. The small rhinestones sparkled under the bright stage lights as the gems reflected the light back into the warm air. Lucy sat, clutching her mother's hand as they sat in the audience. Her father sat on the other side of her with tired lines running over his face and slightly darkened flesh round his eyes, although he did remain attentive with a proud smile on his lips. Peter sat on the other side of Father and Edmund and Susan beyond him. They sat in awe as Helena moved across the stage. Her slender body moved in perfect pace with the music as she danced.

With a whirl of fouettés, Helena came to the end, a bright smile on her painted red lips. The audience clapped loudly and a few sent up cheers.

After the curtain calls, the Pevensies moved from the auditorium to backstage where they found Helena talking with one of her classmates. "Lena!" Peter called, rushing to her. Turning from her friend, she smiled, rushing to meet her twin's embrace. "That was bloody brilliant!"

"Peter," their mother scolded.

"Sorry, Mother," he said apologetically. Getting excited again, he exclaimed, "But did you see her do the twisty thing and then the-" He paused, thinking a moment. "The patejedo?" Helena giggled, covering her mouth with her hand as she stared at him in utter disbelief.

"Patejedo?" she repeated, now giggling uncontrollably. He shrugged, his cheeks slightly flushed.

"Whatever it was, it was cool," he said firmly.

"Well thank you," she replied with a chuckle, moving to accept the embraces of her other siblings and parents.

As they made for the door, their mother called excitedly, "We have a great surprise for you, Lena. For when we get home."

Lucy smiled sadly. That had been the night they had told Helena of the opportunity to study ballet in Paris. It had been a bittersweet evening but most of their tears had been spared until Helena had already gone. Peter had certainly handled it the worst, especially since she wouldn't have many opportunities to come back during the next seven years away. He began failing school and getting in all sorts of trouble. It wasn't until his parents had given him a stern talking to that he began to cope with the loss better.

The truth was that the loss of Helena tore everything apart. She had been Peter's best friend, Susan's listener, Edmund's partner in crime, and Lucy's playmate. Without her happy laugh, everything had fallen apart and the house felt dull and quiet. So terribly quiet. But as Helena let out another of her merry laughs, Lucy felt a warmth spread through her chest reminding her that she was back. Her beautiful, dreamy, and cheery sister who could make all of them smile like no other was back and it seemed as though finally, it was for good.