𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑, 𝗉𝖾𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗉𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗇𝗌𝗂𝖾

Chapter 3: Aslan?

~3rd Person P.O.V.~

The Pevensie's, Y/n, and the dwarf, which they learned his name was Trumpkin, all sat in the boat that the Telmarines had. Peter was rowing the boat, Y/n sitting across from him, her hand resting on his knee as she glanced around them, rubbing small little circles on his knee, causing him to smile at her.

"They're so still." Lucy broke the silence, looking up at the trees.

Trumpkin look at the girl before following her gazes. "They're trees. What'd you expect?"

"They used to dance." She informed.

The dwarf just glanced at her. "Wasn't long after you left that the Telmarines invaded. Those who survived retreated to the woods. And the trees, they retreated so deep into themselves that they haven't been heard from since."

"I don't understand. How could Aslan have let this happen?" Lucy shrugged a shoulder, her face scrunched.

"Aslan?" Trumpkin asked curiously. "Thought he abandoned us when you lot did."

"We didn't mean to leave, you know." Peter's voice wavered slightly.

"Makes no difference now, does it?" 

"Get us to the Narnians..." The blonde started, a frown on his face. "...and it will."

Y/n lightly squeezed his knee, continuing to rub circles with the pad of her thumb. Peter felt her make a heart against his knee as she looked at the scenery. He stared at her, a little smile coming to his face.

~

They soon made it to shore, where Trumpkin set the anchor down on the sand, pushing it in slightly with his foot, as Susan, Y/n, Peter, and Edmund pulled on the boat by the rope of the anchor, getting it out of the water a little.

Lucy had adventured forwards, her eyes stopping on a bear few feet away from her. "Hello, there." All eyes went to her when she spoke.

The bear stood up, letting out a little roar.

"It's alright. We're friends."

Upon seeing the girl near the giant animal, and it's eyes trained on her, Trumpkin's eyes widened in fear. "Don't move, Your Majesty." 

As Lucy looked back at the dwarf, the bear started running towards her, making her start running back to the others.

"Stay away from her!" Susan shouted, aiming an arrow at the bear, while Edmund, Peter, and Y/n grabbed their swords from the boat, unsheathing them. Lucy continued running for her life, but suddenly tripped, then staring up at the bear, eyes wide with fear.

"Shoot, Susan! Shoot!" The three ran back to the girls side.

The bear stood up, letting out a roar as Lucy let out a scream. Just as the bear was about to attack the girl, an arrow lodged into it's chest, causing it to collapse in front of her, now dead. The youngest glanced behind her, seeing not Susan, but Trumpkin was the one who fired.

All eyes were on the dwarf, who walked forward, ignoring their gazes.

"Why wouldn't he stop?" Susan asked curiously.

"I suspect he was hungry." Trumpkin replied.

Peter, Y/n, and Edmund all ran forward, Peter helping Lucy up before wrapping an arm around her, Y/n resting her hand on the girls arm as Edmund stood beside his brother.

"Thanks." Lucy said.

"He was wild." Y/n spoke up, staring at the dead animal.

"I don't think he could talk at all." Peter added, sharing a look with her and Edmund.

"You get treated like a dumb animal long enough, that's what you become." Trumpkin brought out a dagger. "You may find Narnia a more savage place than you remember." He then stabbed into the animal, making Lucy look away, burying her face in Peter's chest, her hand gripping Y/n's.

~

"I don't remember this way." Susan admitted as they all walked on rocks.

"That's the problem with girls. You can't carry a map in your heads." Peter said from the front.

"That's because our heads have something in them." Y/n told her boyfriend, who glanced at her, meeting her eyes.

"I wish he'd just listen to the D.L.F. in the first place." Susan said to Lucy and Y/n.

"D.L.F.?" Edmund questioned.

"Dear Little Friend." Lucy answered, sharing a smile with the two older girls.

"Oh, that's not at all patronizing, is it?" Trumpkin asked as him and Edmund stopped walking for a second. Edmund smiled a little, following after the others.

Soon, Peter stopped in the middle of a rock, small little cliffs around him. The others stopped, as well, staring at him.

"I'm not lost." He said to himself.

"No." Trumpkin walked forward. "You're just going the wrong way."

"You last saw Caspian at the Shuddering Woods, and the quickest way there is to cross at the River Rush."

"But unless I'm mistaken, there's no crossing in these parts."

"That explains it, then." Peter started, jaw clenched slightly. "You're mistaken." And with that, he walked off, grabbing Y/n's hand, pulling her with him.

~

The all walked for a little while, then making it to a cliff, where Peter and the girls all looked down, seeing a river very far below them.

"You see, over time, water erodes the earth's soil, carving deeper-"

"Oh, shut up." Peter cut Susan off.

"Is there a way down?" Edmund glanced down at Trumpkin.

"Yeah, falling." He responded bluntly.

"Well, we weren't lost." Peter shrugged.

"There's a ford near Beruna. How do you feel about swimming?" Trumpkin asked.

"I'd rather that than walking." Y/n nodded in agreement to Susan's response.

"Aslan?" Lucy suddenly asked before turning back to the others. "It's Aslan! It's Aslan over there!" All of them followed her gaze. "Don't you see? He's right..." Lucy stopped herself as she looked back over, seeing no lion in sight. "...there."

"Do you see him now?" Trumpkin teased.

All looked back at him as Lucy spoke. "I'm not crazy. He was there. He wanted us to follow him." She glanced up at Y/n and Peter.

"I'm sure there are any number of lions in this wood." Peter started, glancing at Y/n, who was looking at Lucy. "Just like that bear."

"I think I know Aslan when I see him."

"Look," Trumpkin started. "I'm not about to jump off a cliff after someone who doesn't exist."

"The last time I didn't believe Lucy I ended up looking pretty stupid." Edmund reminded, all gazes going to him.

Peter glances at the spot Lucy said she saw Aslan. "Why wouldn't I have seen him?"

"Maybe you weren't looking." Lucy replied.

"I'm sorry, Lu." Peter shook his head before walking away, pulling Y/n with him, who was staring at the young girl in sadness, Susan following the two older kids.

Lucy soon looked back at Edmund, who nodded to the others, both of them following after the older kids and dwarf.

~

The Pevensie's, Y/n, and Trumpkin all crouched behind logs, hiding as they watched many Telmarines working, chopping down trees. Upon hearing horses to their left, they all quickly crouched down, hiding from their sight. Peter kept Y/n close to him, kissing her head.

"Perhaps this wasn't the best way to come after all." Susan whispered to the two oldest kids.

They continued watching for about a minute before Peter walked out of there, pulling Y/n with him, the rest soon following.