Far From Home

Return

The bell rang. Emily walked from her band class and headed across the hall to the gym. She stopped outside the locker rooms to read the white board and there was a note in red marker saying “change and meet me on the playground”. 

After changing, Emily made her way outside with her classmates. They were excitedly talking amongst themselves, wondering why they were going outside. 

Ms. Landis stood on the gravel path outside the playground with a clipboard in hand. “I will explain today's class after you each do two laps around the track.” She pointed to the track surrounding the field. Emily and a few others audibly groaned. Emily hated doing laps since Lauren wasn’t there anymore. Emily’s friends Nathanael and Oreanna had switched schools and she had no one to run with anymore, but nevertheless, started them anyway.

Rounding the bend closest to the woods, Emily heard a horse whinny. There aren’t any horses near here. She thought to herself and stopped and peered into the woods. A blur of white passed by a few trees and disappeared. Emily looked to make sure no one was looking and ran into the woods.

The woods seemed eerily quiet for just having someone or something in them. “Hello?” Emily called. “Who’s there?” Another whinny sounded in response, this time, from behind her.

Behind Emily, stood a magnificent white alicorn. His wings were spread and he pawed at the ground. Emily knew exactly who it was.

“Astra!” she cried as she ran up to hug him. “What are you doing here?”

“You need to come to Narnia now.” he said.

Emily was taken aback. “Did you just talk?” she asked.

Astra nodded. “This is irrelevant now. You need to come with me.”

“Why has something happened? Is the fate of Narnia hanging in the balance?” Emily asked as she climbed onto Astra’s back.

“No,” Astra replied. “But Lauren’s is.”

“What happened?” 

Astra began to gallop through the woods, with the rhythm of his familiar hooves filling Emily’s ears. “An enemy of Narnia’s, Calormen, has conquered Narnia's ally, Archenland and has now conquered Narnia, imprisoned Caspian, and exiled Lauren.”

Emily stared at him wide-eyed. “That was a lot to take in.”

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In Narnia, Astra stopped just outside of the city of Cair Paravel and already Emily could tell things were different. 

Forgien guards stood at the entrance and inside, (Astra used an invisibility spell) Calormenes patrolled the village, harassing the people and arresting the creatures. To Emily, it looked like something out of The Hunger Games but the peacekeepers were wearing medieval clothing.

“We need to get to Caspian.” Astra said. “It would sure do him some good to see a familiar face other than me.”

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Astra teleported Emily to the dungeon and took her to Caspian.

Caspian was pacing in circles inside a cell that was currently not being watched by guards. His hands were in chain shackles and he seemed really nervous until Astra walked up and stuck his muzzle through the bars. Caspian turned and a smile spread across his face.

“Astra! Emily!” he cried as Astra teleported Emily and himself inside. “What are you doing here?”

Emily smiled. It was always nice to see a cute guy. “Astra brought me back!” she said. “Is it true about what Astra said about Lauren?”

Caspian’s face fell and he nodded. “The worst part is that the Tisroc is training me to be a Calormene soldier!” Emily just stared at him.

“He wants me to hunt down Lauren and kill her!”