Royal Protector [Narnia]

Chapter II: Rainy Days

"There is no courage without fear."

Rain pelted against the window harshly, the countryside succumbing to traditional British weather conditions.

He gazed wistfully through the window, a dust bitten book occupying his lap, until Susan scampered past hurriedly.

Enzo chuckled lowly under the converted sound of breathe, rising from the chair slowly, "Mrs. Macready, would have a heart attack if she saw you running, Ms Pevensie."

Susan gazed at him with a cautious expression, "Well, hide and seek calls for a breach in her rules, Mr Bane, now if you don't mind."

The teenager smiled with a small shrug, arms indicating that she continue her charade, "Of course, apologies for interrupting."

Susan nodded satisfied as she turned to saunter from his idle figure, until Peters voice blemished their shared silence, and Enzo's arm snaked around her waist concealing her behind the aged wooden door, it's hinges screeching in resistance.
"Susan?"

Enzo smirked his eyes glistening mischievously, "Its only me Peter, I believe Susan headed toward the library of its any consolation."

Peter nodded from behind the door venturing from the door, eyes furrowed throughout the duration of his search.

Enzo released Susan slowly retreating from her slender figure, "Thank you."

Enzo nodded sincerely, returning to the creaking chair, and discarded book once occupying his attention.

"Of course, had you been found it would be my fault entirely for stalling you, I was repaying my debt." Susan nodded slowly concealing the curiosity of her expression,

"Are you not lonely in here?" Enzo chuckled softly, a small smile encroaching thin lips,

"I'm unfamiliar with the sensation, being an only child does that." Susan nodded a pained smile, and eyes overwhelmed with sympathy,

"In which case your welcome to join my siblings and I." The invitation chipped at the stoic wall built amongst his defences, her warm smile cracking the stone. He nodded his words appreciative, kind

"Tomorrow perhaps? Should the weather improve, in the meanwhile if your concerned about my lack of company, your welcome to join me, although I must admit I won't be participating in anything exactly riveting." Susan giggled quietly, occupying the other discarded chair positioned adjacent to Enzo's own.

"What are you reading?" Enzo expression was becoming of perplexmxent regarding Susan's curiosity, unfamiliar with the subject.

He offered her the text, fingers tracing the book,
"The History of Narnia, from what I can deduce it's a fantasy novel, hand written retelling the histories of a supernatural realm. It's rather fascinating." Susan nodded, delicate digits tracing the spine,

"I must admit, I have little taste for fantasy, it all seems rather childish." Enzo chuckled nodding conceding to Susan's opinion,

"Perhaps, but some day you will be old enough to start reading fairy tales again, childish they may be, but they also bring comfort to the horrors, and hope in the darkness." Susan nodded slowly returning the book to calloused hands,

"You may be right, but that is not day is not today, Mr Bane." Enzo smiled with a small nod,

"Of course, and please, Enzo, Mr Bane is my father." Susan nodded offering a small hand,

"Then please call me Susan, it's a pleasure Enzo." The man nodded softly,

"Susan, a pretty name for a gorgeous girl." Rose coloured cheeks flushed at his remark, Susan's eyes trailing the floor,

"Thank you." Once more their brief moment together was interrupted by the sound of the three siblings, seemingly all having found one another. Susan and Enzo rose from their idly searing venturing toward the voices,

"Does this mean I win." Enzo chuckled quietly watching Susan expression divulge into satisfactory celebration,

"I don't think Lucy wants to play anymore." Peter turned to his eldest sibling lips pulled taut perplexed at his youngest sisters antics,

"I've been gone for hours." The siblings all furrowed their brows, following the wild whims of Lucy's imagination,

"The only wood in here is the back of the Wardrobe." Peter agreed his voice soft as to not damage the delicate internal balance of a child's imagination,

"One game at a time Lu, we don't all have your imagination." They turned to depart Lucy's small voice devastated.

"But I wasn't imagining." Susan sighed heavily her words sincere yet harsh as she attempted to deter Lucy's belief,

"That's enough, Lucy." Tears collected pushing to cascade rosy cheeks,

"I wouldn't lie about this." Enzo remained aside the wardrobe, eyes trailing the intricate details of the Wardrobe's carving,

"We'll I believe you." Edmunds eyes widened at the comic availability, much to Lucy's discredit

"You do?" Her voice was soft and vulnerable to Edmunds deception of her character,

"Of course, didn't I tell you about the football field in the bathroom cupboard." Enzo disregarded the siblings' conversation from that point onward focused solely upon the engraved features of the wood, reflecting that of the rings that clasped his fingers.

Edmund seemed to flee briefly after the joke was made redundant and Susan followed dutifully as the eldest daughter, meanwhile Peter and Lucy retreated seemingly disheartened.

Enzo grasped the wardrobe door pushing it open as he stepped inside pushing through the fur coats decorating the space.

A cold wind, bit at the exposed skin, snow blemishing his shoes, "Shit."

The snow blanketed the forest, an ivory sheet travelling throughout the Narnia Land. "It's colder than I imagined."

The distant rumble of a a roar reverberated through the trees, a lion lunging through the bushes, teeth bared viciously.

"Fuck, I bare no threat to you, and I'd rather not die today, if I can help it." The lions expression shifted confused and curious at the sight of a young boy trudging through the snow,

"Are you a son of Adam?" Enzo chuckled the phrasing casting his thoughts to that of the book he was reading previously,

"I am human, yes, but my fathers name is Alexander." The lion laughed deeply, observing the boy with beady eyes,

"What are you doing here Son of Adam?" The young boy shrugged eyes flickering over the scenery amazed,

"Exploring." The lion nodded eyes shifting anxiously,

"I think its best you return, she's near." The boy nodded retreating toward the wardrobe, "What's your name, son of Adam?" Enzo paused , his voice steady despite the numbness of his limbs,

"Enzo, what's yours." The lion nodded, turning to depart hurriedly,

"Kallias, it was nice meeting you Enzo, son of Adam." Enzo nodded tumbling through the wardrobe landing with an echoing thud against the splintering wood.