An Unexpected Romance

Chapter 2

"What in the bloody hell is a Narnia?" I exclaim half serious and half laughing.

Peter and Susan laugh.

"This is Narnia," Peter explains. "It's a whole other world with magical creatures and kingdoms, and, well, lots of things that you'd think aren't real."

"And Aslan!" Lucy jumps up and down as she skips over to us. "He's a beautiful Lion. He's always watching out for us and protecting us, even in our world, and he is always there when we need him. He helped us defeat the White Witch last time we were here."

"Last time?" I question.

"We first found Narnia last year," Peter explained.

"I found Narnia," Lucy gives her older brother a look.

"Yes, Lucy found Narnia," Peter smiles and hugs his sister.

Last year, maybe this is why they're so...different.

"Ok, so there's a magical land that all of you have been to before with many magical beings. This is it. This is Narnia. Anything else I need to know?"

The siblings look at each other. Finally, all three of them look at Edmund. He holds eye contact with them, a look of deep thought on his face as his eyes shift between them.

"There's lots, actually," Peter said kindly, "We'll fill you in as we go."

We all play in the water for hours, and the Pevensies tell me many tales of Narnia. The battle against the White Witch, about Mr. Tumnus, the Beavers, the prophecy, and Aslan. They told me the story of the traitor and the White Witch, but every time it was brought up the siblings stumbled over the details. There's something they're not telling me, but I don't even know what questions to ask to fill in the blanks.

After a while, I see Edmund gazing up towards the top of the cliffs lining the beach. I follow his gaze.

"What is it, Ed?" Peter asks.

"Are we sure we're in Narnia?" Edmund says with a half smile.

"What do you think?" Peter laughs and splashes him with water.

Edmund gestures up towards the cliffs.

"Well, I don't remember any ruins in Narnia."

All of their faces fall. Based on the stories they shared, I knew this meant something terrible has happened since they left Narnia.

We climb up to the ruins. The view from the top of the cliff is breathtaking. The green grass is high and soft under my bare feet. The breeze is sweet and smells of salt water and flowers, and the warm sun is shining, making the bright blue ocean water sparkle. I feel my chest relax. I didn't realize how tense I was until now. I have only been in Narnia for a few hours, and I already felt the magic of this land washing over me like the waves in the ocean below.

I am snapped out of my day dream by Lucy.

"Who do you think lived here?" She asked as she took a bite from an apple she had picked from a nearby tree.

"I think we did," Susan replied, looking around in disdain as she picked something shiny out of the grass.

Edmund wanders around one of the ruins. He notices what Susan had picked up moments before.

"Hey, that's mine! From my chess set!" He says.

"Which chess set?" Peter asks..