Fearless • P. Pevensie

I Am Home

I stop, taking a deep, shaky breath.

The troops stand before us. They all stop, staring out of their tents as we walk up the hill to meet them. The whole army, looking at us. Looking to us.

Looking to me.

"We-we'll meet you up there. Give us a second." Peter covers for me, waving on the beavers and his younger sisters. The four of them walk on, as I stare straight ahead.

"What's the matter?" He asks me.

"You know, you've gotten good at telling when something's wrong with me." I let out a brief laugh. I sigh, looking out above me to my people. "What if...what if they expect me to be something I'm not? They all have this idea of me. Some fearless heiress to the throne, the High Queen of Narnia! But...I'm just- I'm Rosemary Wilson. An orphan, a nobody from nowhere who writes about fantastical worlds she was never meant to actually see. What if...Peter, what if I'm not good enough for them?" I turn, looking over at the boy who's become one of the few solaces I have in life.

"Who cares what they're expecting out of you, Rose? They can expect all the want. But sooner or later, they're gonna see you the way that I do. A fearless, lion-hearted hero who would to anything to protect her family." Peter steps closer to me, smiling kindly as he hugs me.

"And if they don't? Peter, what if they expect me to be like my parents? I don't even know what my parents were like, how could I ever-"

"They're not expecting you to be your parents, Rosemary. They're expecting you to be you. A Narnian Princess, turned Queen, who's come back to deliver them from evil and set about a peace time in this land." He tells me. "I've only known you a short time, Rose. But when you set your mind to something, it's practically already done. If you want to fight for these people, then you'll fight. And you'll win, too. I know you will." He smiles at me.

"You think I can win? Against the White Witch? Honestly, you might be the only one." I laugh.

His hand comes into mine, giving it a squeeze reassuringly as I look up at him.

"We can win." He tells me. "I- I'm not going to leave you here." He tells me.

"Peter, you know I can't ask that of you." I shake my head.

"Then don't ask. Just accept the offer." He tells me. I fall silent for a moment, before sighing with a small nod. "Good. Now, we've got an army to attend to."

We walk together, hand in hand. It's comforting to know that I'm not alone in this. I don't know what I'd do if I had to face her wrath alone.

We join up with the four of them. Somewhere, a horn blows, signaling our arrival.

"No turning back now." I mumble, holding my head high and trying to appear confidant to my people.

They watch us as we near them. The warm spring wind whistles through my tattered clothes, though I'd much rather be wearing this than that insufferable fur coat. Peter stands to my right, a brave smile on his face. Susan stands to his right, followed by Lucy. The beavers walk ahead of us, delivering us to Aslan, as they were always meant to.

Creatures stop to stare as we pass. Whatever they were doing before becomes less interesting to them as they marvel at our arrival. I give Peter's hand a nervous squeeze, which he returns one to reassure me.

Nevertheless, I keep my head held high. I shall not falter my appearance, not in front of these people who depend on me for their lives. I will not falter. I will show courage, bravery. Even in our darkest of times.

A crowd forms behind us. Following us to Aslan, mumbling and muttering to themselves with enthusiasm about our arrival. A smile spreads across my face.