The Next Right Thing

03

As Jill flew through Narnia, she commented how lovely and amazing it was. She passed a field of purple flowers.

While passing the sea, she made note of it and wondered where she was going.

---

Eustace was spying on Caspian near the castle.

Caspian waved and descended a set of steps to board a boat. Cara smiled sadly as though she sensed something.

Jill flew over Caspian's castle and landed behind Eustace who was still crouched in the grass. An owl, Glimfeather, watched the children silently.

She ran up to Eustace and Cara and crouched next to him before placing a hand on their shoulders and saying, "Scrubb. Cara. Scrubb, Cara, quickly. Do you see anyone you know?"

"So you've turned up again, have you?" Eustace retorted. "Keep quiet. We're trying to listen."

"Oh, but there isn't a moment to lose." Eustace and Cara turned to face her. "Don't you see some old friend of yours, Cara's brother, here because you've both got to go and speak to him."

"What are you talking about?" He turned away again.

"I've seen the lion." Eustace faced Jill once again. "Aslan. And he says you've got to."

"Aslan?" Cara said. "You've seen Aslan?"

"He said the very first person you saw here in Narnia would be an old friend and that you've got to go and speak to him."

"There's nobody here I've ever known," Eustace said. "I don't even know if this is Narnia."

"But I thought you said you'd been here before."

"I have, but I've never seen this place. Now dry up and let's see what's happening."

Cara looked around. "No, this is Narnia. Which means-"

Caspian waved and boarded the boat.

The dwarf who'd stood by Caspian turned and walked away.

The Narnians watched as Caspian went off and cheered. Eustace, Cara and Jill watched from their spot.

Glimfeather flew down, landing behind the children and said, "Hello! Hello, who are you three?"

Jill, Cara and Eustace stood and walked toward Glimfeather.

Eustace held out his hand. "The name's Scrubb." He crossed his arms, gesturing to Jill with his thumb. "This is Pole." He gestured to Cara. "This is Cara."

"Jill Pole," Jill corrected, walking closer to Glimfeather.

Eustace uncrossed his arms. "Would you mind telling us where we are?"

"Oh, in the land of Narnia," Glimfeather replied. "At the king's castle of Cair Paravel." Eustace, Cara and Jill glanced back.

"Is that the king who's just taken ship?"

"Too true, too true. But, who are you? There's something... Magic about you. I saw you arrive." He did a short dance. "You flew! You flew!"

Eustace leaned closer. "We were sent by Aslan."

"Aslan!" Eustace shushed him. "T-whoo, t-whoo!"

"We've been sent by Aslan to find the lost princess and a young man," Jill explained.

Eustace met her eyes. "First I've heard of it. What prince?" He crossed his arms.

"You'd better speak to the Lord Regent," Glimfeather told them. "At once. T-whoo, t-whoo. What-a to do?" He began walking towards the water. "I can't think clearly yet. I'm never myself until the sun goes down. Oh!"

"There's more," Jill said. "There's a lot more. Aslan gave me four signs to remember and that was the first of them. You had to go straight to your old frien, Cara's brother."

"But I tell you-" Eustace was cut off.

"Hey!" Glimfeather called. "The Lord Regent Trumpkin the dwarf!" Eustace, Cara and Jill joined him.

"And what is the king's name?"

"Caspian the tenth."

Eustace and Cara's expression fell and Jill asked, "Whatever is the matter?"

"He was my old friend. He's Cara's brother," Eustace replied.

"Then we've missed the first sign!"

They watched as the boat rowed away.

"Caspian!" Cara yelled, but he didn't seem to hear her.