Accidentally Falling | Narnia

36 | insomnias

The garden wasn't his preferred place to hang out in order to think about love and war, but Peter had no idea how he ended there.

For the umpteenth time that month, he couldn't sleep. After surviving another dinner with his brother and the Pevensies, he headed immediately to his bedchambers to call it a night, with the hope of getting some early rest so he wouldn't frighten away the visitors for the ball tomorrow with the dark shadows under his eyes which he seemed to have no idea how to get rid of. He already tried concealing it with powder, like what Freesia suggested, but it only made him paler than usual, making him look like a dead man walking.

But no matter how he willed his mind to go blank and not to think about anything, he couldn't. He trashed and turned in his bed, nearly tearing his pillows in frustration, but to no avail. Thoughts spiraled in his brain that his head started to pound. He thought of the Tree of Protection in the courtyard, dying with poison. He thought of the Witch and the war looming closer than ever. He thought of the prophecy. He thought of Susan Pevensie.

Before he knew it, his legs had carried him from his bedchambers, to the doors of Cair, and out to the castle's garden.

The moon was shining up ahead, casting a bright light around the garden, that the silver moonlaces glowed brilliantly. The whole garden was lit up, that Peter had to hold his breath for a minute or two at the place's beauty.

Peter doesn't visit the garden often, especially these last few months with him being alone to take care of kingly duties because Caspian was away. Of course, when he needed fresh air and he felt tired, too tired enough to go to the courtyard and practice his swordfighting skills, the garden was always his go-to place. Caspian was always the one obsessed with the garden. Maybe because he tend to steal grapes there because Freesia always nag at him everytime he'd get a few bunch from the kitchen. Caspian loved grapes.

Nevertheless, Peter walked forward, following the path towards the middle part of the garden. Then he strayed from the cobbled path, stepping on the uneven grass that tickled her ankles until he reached a spot where there were only few moonlaces. He lay on his back, folding an arm under his head for a pillow. He stared up at the night sky, letting his eyes follow the various constellations that adorned it.

Peter felt relaxed. His hurricane of thoughts slowed to a stop, relaxing his mind until he was thinking about nothing except the bright constellations above him.

For a few minutes, Peter's mind was comfortably empty with thoughts.

Then one by one, they returned in a stream of consciousness in his head.

He thought about the Tree of Protection. Now that the apple tree was dying and along with it, the magical barrier around the country, the Witch could now attack them anytime. Which meant that him hanging out in the garden unarmed in the middle of night probably wasn't the best idea but he highly doubted Jadis would attack Cair. Noy yet, anyway. His sentinels around the border of Narnia would have already reported if they spotted movements, a large number of the Witch's creatures sneaking into Narnia for example. Unless, of course, the Witch had already obtained physical form and was now powerful enabling her to open portals from wherever she was straight to the middle of Cair. Shivering, Peter didn't want to think about that. Besides, he got the strong feeling that the Witch might not be that powerful yet.

Which reminded him about the prophecy. The prophecy that was still unclear to him. It speaks of a choice offered to Susan and her decision will either to save Narnia or destroy it. What choice though? Will she somehow be offered a one-time chance to join the Witch and by choosing not to will turn the tide of the war? And what of Edmund and Lucy? The prophecy didn't say the two youngest Pevensies' part to play. Of course, both of them had already become invaluable people in Narnia. Edmund had already become one of the best swordfighters Peter had ever seen. And Lucy... she was like this glue that holds the siblings together. Peter had always heard that Susan was the voice of reason in the siblings but for the last few months he had been with the Pevensies, Lucy had become their source of wisdom and strength.