The Phoenix Archer ∞ Peter Pevensie

ii. | T H R E E

✧
P E T E R

I couldn't believe my eyes. One minute we were at the train station and the next, we were ankles-deep in the Golden Narnian sand.

I wiggle my toes, feeling the grittiness of the leftover sand still stuck between them as I resisted the urge to pinch myself. A part of me was still convinced that this was a dream. I had to be dreaming, right? Why else would we be back here?

We've tried to return countless of times, but all attempts seemed to lead us nowhere. The only thing that seems to convince me that this is all reality is the dull ache of my knuckles from when I socked that dimwit back at the station- not one of my finest moments, I supposed. The fella had just caught me on a bad day.

Truth be told, I was frustrated that we weren't making any progress on finding a way back. I'm not even remotely ashamed to admit that was I was desperate, and insanely so. How could I not be when I had left behind a piece of my heart- my soul- here in Narnia when I left?

The days that dragged on without out were torturous. I missed her so much it hurts to breathe. I couldn't forget her even if I tried. The image of her was seared into my brain, never to be erased again.

She was mine, and I, was undoubtedly, inescapably, undeniably, completely and utterly hers.

There was nothing in this world that I wouldn't do for that woman. I would crawl to the ends of the earth if it meant I could have those burning amber eyes staring back at me again, with that smile on her face that I would never grow tired of seeing.

"I wonder who lived here." Lucy's voice pulls me away from my thoughts.

We were exploring the ruins that Edmund has spotted and if I were being honest, this was the last place I wanted to be. If I had it my way, we would be out looking for Nerissa, the only problem was, I wouldn't even know where to start. Was she searching for me like I was her?

Susan furrows her brows as she studies something on the ground, before bending over to pick it up. "I think we did."

I glance at the familiar golden chess piece in her hand as Edmund approaches, "Hey, that's mine." He says, "From my chess set."

"Which chess set?" I question.

"Well, I didn't exactly have a solid gold chess set in Finchley, did I?" My brother sasses.

I was just about to retort when Lucy mumbles, "It can't be," before taking off like she as usual.

I let out an exasperated sigh before following after her, with my two other siblings close behind. Lucy grabs my hand, tugging me along with her.

"Don't you see?" She exclaims, coming to a stop by the dais.

"What?"

"Imagine walls," Lucy positions me, before moving on to Susan, "And columns there!" She says before taking her spot, "And a glass roof."

The image conjures in my head. The venue of so many fond memories; where Nerissa and I had our first dance, our first kiss, where I confessed my feelings and finally told her I loved her.

"Cair Paravel."

I smile at the happy memories, but it's not Long before it falters. What happened here? If Cair Paravel was in ruins, where has Nerissa gone?