The Refugees

Two Worlds, One Girl

The walk back to camp was a silent one. It was nice to look around at the beautiful landscape and not have to worry about being attacked. The silence, however, was broken as soon as we made it back to camp.
We were met with great cheers as everyone rushed up asking questions and trying to grab at us. The swarm, however, was broken up by a familiar voice.
"Alright. Alright. That's enough! The poor dears need to get checked out. You can talk to and congratulate their majesties later." Mrs.Beaver says as she pushes her way through the crowd. The crowd slowly dispersed and we turned and smiled at our dear friend. "Oh, I'm so glad you kids are alright!" She says pulling the three of us in a hug. "Where are your sisters?"
"Oh, they-" Edmund began but was quickly stopped by Mrs.Beaver striking both Edmund and I in the shins.
"ow!"
"What was that for?"
"That's for running away when you were told to retreat!" She yells at us. "Do you know what could have happened? Edmund, you were almost killed! Maggie you- "
"Oh hush mother!" Mr.Beaver interrupts as he comes to our rescue. "If they hadn't we wouldn't have won!" He says as he puts a paw on her shoulder.
"Humph. Fine. But you were lucky this time." she says, giving us stern looks. "Now come on we need to get you examined. Maggie, come with me. Boys go with Mr.Beaver." she says as she takes my hand and pulls me toward the tents.
"Ooo. You two got in trouble." Peter mocks at us finally letting out the laugh he had been holding.
"Watch it young man or you will be right there with them!" She exclaims giving him the side-eye. The rest of us laugh as I get dragged away by the lovingly protective beaver.
Not long after we leave the boys I am shoved into a tent and almost completely stripped down. I am looked over by a sweet dryad and a young faun. They kept fussing over me and saying how they were honored to be looking after their new ruler.
I suddenly feel the blood drain from my face. I am going to be a ruler. People kept saying that as soon as we met them. I don't know how to be a ruler? Do the Pevensies?
"Maggie are you alright dear?" Mrs.Beaver asks me breaking me out of my anxiety-filled thoughts.
"I'm just fine. Just a little aftershock." I say, giving her a nervous smile. All of the healers aw at me.
"You are all set. You are lucky. You only got a couple of scrapes and bruises." I get dismissed.
"Now come along dear we have to get going."Mrs.Beaver says pushing me towards the flap of the tent.
"Where are we going now?" I ask trying to resist the animal's pressure. I can feel all of the strain of the day coming to my body.  I just wanted to go to sleep.
"We are taking you to your new home." She says a bit winded from trying to push me. I halt in my tracks at her words. I hadn't thought about what would happen after the war. I wouldn't see my family again.
My sudden stop made both of us tumble out of the flap of the tent. A few people look our way and I feel my face heat up at the attention. I then turn my attention back to the small animal.
"New home?" I ask, astonished.
"Well where did you think you would be staying?"She asks laughing at me as she again starts to pull me towards a carriage. "We have to get you to Cair Paravel so we can clean you up and prepare you for the next couple of days." She says as we get to the carriage.
"Well shouldn't we wait for the others?" I ask glancing around at the other tents waiting for one of them to appear.
"Oh, they will be along shortly." she assured me as we stepped into the carriage. I give a nod to the dryad from earlier who had also joined us in the carriage as I sat down.
The horse took off in the direction of the mighty looking castle. I take one last look back at camp and then turn back to the castle. I squeeze my eyes shut and reach for the locket, praying that everything works out.
As soon as we reach the castle I am rushed inside and given a proper bathing and some nightclothes. A hot meal was waiting for me when I entered the massive space that is my new room. Not long after I finish eating the strain of the day catches up with me and I fall asleep on an amazingly comfortable bed.
I am awoken bright and early the next morning, much to my annoyance, by Mrs.Beaver and some other Narnians. However, that feeling went away when I was given a dress that was "fit for a queen." The blue and silver dress was stunningly beautiful and the dryad from the day before, who I found out was named Lydia, braided my hair into an enchanting and elegant bun.
"There now that that is settled we have some business to attend to."Mrs.Beaver says as she starts to usher me towards the door.
"Wow. Slow down. Don't I get to relax? I mean I'm in a new castle there needs to be exploring done. And where are the Pevensies? I haven't seen them since right after we finished fighting." I say crossing my arms and like an annoyed two-year-old.
"You will get to do that soon, your majesty but first Aslan has requested your presence." Lyda told me as she puts a comforting hand on my shoulder. At that statement, I walked wordlessly out of the room with Mrs.Beaver. We walk down the hallways and make different turns until finally, we reach a pair of double doors.
"This is the throne room. He will meet you here, love. Then after that, we will find the other and you and I can't start causing trouble ya?" she says with a kind laugh. I reply with a small giggle and open the doors to the throne room.
The room was very wide with tall columns. There were a few Narnians in there measuring five pedestals. They all greet me with a "your Highness" and proceed to bow. I wander around the space more as I make my way towards the balcony.
The balcony was a gorgeous white stone and was rather wide and long. As I look out I see the most magnificent view of the beach. I could see for miles down the beach and what felt like even further to the open ocean.
I lean forward and lean against the railing of the balcony. This was the most peace I have had since we had gotten here. It was calm. There was no melting rivers, evil witches, or frozen tundra. Just thinking about the cold made me shiver. Everything was fine now. Edmund was safe.
Edmund. The image of him lying there almost lifeless flashes in my memory. I was so relieved when Lucy saved him. It was one of the best feelings I ever had. Then my mind wanders to the kiss. I kissed Edmund! I don't know what came over me all I knew was that if I didn't kiss him then I would regret it. How am I going to face him now? He is probably off laughing about it with Peter right now. I was proven wrong as fate plays a cruel joke.
"Hello there." A shy voice startles me from my thoughts. I turn around and see Edmund wearing a light green and white tunic standing in the door frame. "Mind if I join you?"
All I do in response is nod and turn around to face the gorgeous view. He walks forward to join me at the railing and looks at the view. However, I can feel his eyes gazing at me every so often. He was probably thinking about how he was going to tell me that he wasn't interested. I was shocked however when his hand reached for mine as he intertwined our fingers.
"We have been looking for you guys." Edmund continues as we look back at the ocean. "Peter is searching for Lucy and Susan. We haven't seen them since we left the battlefield. He was getting worried. I told him they would be fine. He is a great brother but sometimes he acts too much like Dad. Mom always says..."
I zone out of the boy's ramblings at the mention of his parents. I start thinking about my parents and my brother. I don't know when I will get to see them again or if I ever will. At that thought, I burst into tears.
"Oh no!" Ed says turning to me as he hears me cry. "Did I say something that upset you? I'm sorry. Peter and I were looking for you girls and I found you out here and it was nice out and you looked so pretty and..."
"Edmund." I interrupt. "It's not you. I just miss my family, and my emotions are all over the place with the war and, Aslan dying and coming back to life and then almost getting killed myself, and you almost dying and coming back to life and the... kiss. Plus being moved into a castle. I'm just a little overwhelmed" I blurt out as tears still fall down my face. Edmund looks me right in the eyes with a conflicted thought showing in his.
"Well I can leave if you would like." He says as he starts to pull away.
"Please stay." The command leaves my mouth before I can control it. The dark-haired boy gives me a bashful smile as he leans against the railing again leaving our intertwined hands between us. I lean over and put my head on his shoulder. He stiffens for a moment and then leans his head on top of mine. We stay like that for a while until I stop crying. Then something occurred to me.
"Did you call me pretty?" I asked, lifting my head from his shoulder to get a better look at him.
He turns bright pink and starts to open and close his mouth like a fish. He was saved by the great lion himself.
"Hello young ones. It is a nice day isn't it?" Aslan greats us. Edmund and I drop hands and fall into a graceful bow. "Edmund will you leave Margaret and I to talk for a moment." The boy nods and turns to look at me one more time before disappearing.
"Narnia suits you well my dear." The Lion says as I approach him. He gestures to me to follow him inside. "We have a great deal to discuss. I understand that you are feeling homesick. Is that true?" I respond with a polite nod.
"I appreciate what everyone is doing here, but I can't help but wonder what my family is doing back in England." I say looking down at my feet worried that I offended the great beast that has shown me nothing but kindness.
"What if I told you there is a way to get back to your world." Asian says with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.
"How would that be possible? I thought the Pevensies and I are meant to rule?" I say in bewilderment.
"Your locket acts as a compose. It can find your way back home anytime that you would like. However, it works for you and only you. It will not work with the others." Aslan says looking at me with great pride.
"Then I can use the locket to come and go as I please? I could go visit my family and then come back here and help rule!" I say with excitement.
"Yes and no dear one. The locket is designed to help you feel connected to both worlds however the amount of magic that it takes to travel back and forth between your world and here takes time. About six months of earth time." He says as he walks me over to where two Narnians were taking measurements.
"So, I would be living like the goddess Persephone. Six months here and six months there." I say looking down at the locket in my hands.
"I'm afraid not. For this journey, you have to decide whether you are staying in Narnia or returning to your world." He says turning his attention to the Narnias working in the room. "They are in the process of designing the thrones for the coronation. You get to decide if they are making four or five."
I close my eyes and think about my choice. The Pevensies have taken me in and made me a part of their family. I can't abandon them now.
"Make five." I say to the fauns working on the thrones. They nod and leave the room.
"Good. You are the bridge between the two worlds Margret Rose. You should be able to feel both worlds at the same time." Asian says as he let's a breath out on to me. I turn and look at the area the thrones will be. "Oh, and Margret. Don't tell the others of your connection. Not yet at least." I hear him say behind me.
"Yes, Aslan." I responded. Then a thought popped in my head. "Aslan, what do you mean Earth time?" I ask but when I turn around he is gone. I turn back to the thrones and let out a shaky breath.
"You alright Maggie?" A familiar voice asks. A slight smile grows on my face.
"How much of that did you hear?" I ask not turning around.
"Well, none of it. I was waiting for you in the hallway and Aslan came out and said I could come back in. I would never..." However, Edmund stops his babbling abruptly as I turn around and fling myself in his arms.
He stands there tense for a moment and then pulls me closer into the hug. I pull away slightly to see his face. There was a look in his eyes that I couldn't quite place but soon he starts to lean in. I do so too.
"There you two are! We have been looking everywhere for you!" Susan's voice interrupts as we jump apart. I instantly start to blush.
"What was going on in here?" Peter asks with his arms crossed. His voice stern but amused at the same time.
"Oh leave them alone Pete!" Lucy scolds her older brother. I laugh and run up,and wrap my arms around Peter and kiss his cheek. This makes the boy laugh.
"Come on let's go get some breakfast. I am famished." Peter says as I hug his sisters.
We all nod and start to head out of the room. I turn toward Ed who is still standing where I left him, red faced. I hold out my hand for him to take which he eagerly accepted. He intertwines our fingers as his older sister wrappes her arm around my shoulder.
It was at that moment I knew for sure that I made the right choice.