The Call To The Old - An Edmund Pevensie fanfiction

Chapter five

Talia rode over the castle drawbridge. It was a liberating feeling really, riding away from all that had ever oppressed her-and she knew, well she believed, that one day she would return to the castle, when all was right again: when her mother was better, when good sat upon the throne. Yet, she couldn't help this inescapable feeling that she may have been doing the right thing for herself, but was it the right thing for others? For Caspian? She had left without even saying goodbye, and if her mother's plan worked, he would believe that she was dead. That was cruel, and she knew it. She ran away from all the lies, but in doing so simply created more- no- she wasn't going to let this negativity get her down. She was free. She was going to meet Narnians.

"Can you believe it?" she whispered to her horse, "We are to meet real Narnians." and a smile broke out upon the young girl's face.

'They will find you.' her mother's voice echoed in her head- the Narnians would find her. And the girl rode, she rode and rode, until she reached the start of the forest. The mystical forest, the forest she had always dreamed of visiting.

'They will find you.'

'They will find you.'

She had reached a clearing in the forest and stopped. She didn't know why, but her horse wouldn't go on. The trees loomed over the girl, and fear began to run through her veins, "C'mon girl" she spoke, gently patting the side of the animal, "C'mon it's time to go." but the horse would not move, as if it were frozen in time. She slid of the side of the horse, plopping down onto the ground beneath her, "I suppose you want some rest." she smiled. For a moment, she agreed with her animal, sensing how tired she was, feeling her eyelids slow, but the harrowing noises of the forest held her back. "We need to keep moving. They will find us." Talia prepared herself to jump back onto her horse, but before she could do so a howling noise echoed through the trees. It startled the horse.

She was running now, chasing after the horse, calling her name.

But before long the horse was gone, and Talia was all alone.

She retreated onto the ground, wrapping herself up tight in her arms, gently rocking herself back and forth for comfort, repeating the same phrase over and over again, "The Narnians will find you. The Narnians will find you. The Narnians will find you." Clutching the necklace that her maid, Sefnei, had given her in between her hands.

The trees then appeared to close in over her, protecting her. The grass started to feel soft underneath her. The wolves stopped howling. The light of the moon grew stronger, brighter. The wind was soothing and sung into her ears. And the girl was reminded of the words of her tutor, "Narnia is everywhere." and her mother was correct, as well, small echoes of the Narnia that once was had found her. Even though her horse had left her, Talia was no longer alone. With that the young girl must have rested her head on the bed of grass and fell asleep.

~~~

"We are going to have to drag her." a harsh voice sounded.

"No, we'll have to wake her."

"But she looks so peaceful."

"Well, what do you suggest we do then?"

"We wait until she wakes up," The sleeping Talia stirred, "see she's nearly awake."

"I say we hit her a little and then see if she wakes... Blimey it looks like she's dead or something, who knew a girl could sleep this heavy?"

"Hit her? Are you mad? Her mother asked us to protect her."

The sleeping girl stirred again. "She's nothing but a Telmarine."

"Oh, don't lie Nikabrik, you know full well she's probably more Nar- oh look."

The girl woke. Her eyes grew wide, at the sight in front of her. Two dwarfs and a badger- a talking badger. She shuffled back away from the three beings. "Who- who are you?" she questioned, her hand reaching for her knife that lay strapped to her leg.

"No need for weapons, dear. My name is Trufflehunter," spoke the badger, "the angry one there is Nikabrik," he said pointing to the Dwarf, with darker hair, "and he is Trumpkin." he pointed at the red headed Dwarf.

"And you are-"

"Narnians. That's right. What you expected?" asked Trufflehunter.

"Um, well, yes I suppose so. Only," the three Narnian's raised their eyebrows in apprehension as to what the girl was about to say, "Only a little shorter." she said with a laugh.

"Oh, for Aslan's sake." the darker haired Dwarf said, turning to walk back to their house in the tree, leaving the others behind.

"No, no please," Talia spoke, running to catch up with Nikabrik, "I apologise. I was only joking. You are all just as I expected, if not better. Am I as you expected?"

"Hmm, yes," a voice from behind her sounded, it was Trumpkin, "Only less Princess-y." he smirked, and the girl returned the smile.

"Well, it is ever so nice to meet you all." Talia declared, and the three took her inside to warm her up with some soup.

It was ever so comforting for Talia to finally meet real Narnians, and she didn't feel scared, not in the slightest. In fact, she felt at peace with the three, she felt more at home than she had ever felt before, and the Narnians felt the same way towards her. She reminded them of her mother, kind and gentle, willing to produce a smile in any situation. That night when they were eating their supper, they all felt as though they had known each other for a lot longer than mere hours.