Hearts Connected As One

Chapter 8 - An Unfamiliar Hike:

We continued our journey through the luscious forest until we came across a section that was full of large brown-grey coloured rocks that reached a height taller than Peter and Edmund combined. Both Kings were tall as it was, Susan was a few inches shorter than the boys, about the same height as me. The top of Lucy's head reached my shoulders.

"I don't remember this way." Susan recollects, looking around at this unfamiliar environment.

From what I had learnt from the legends and stories, she was the sensible sibling that liked to apply logic to all situations. Peter was the protective and proud one, Edmund was the sarcastic one and Lucy was, well, as the name implies, valiant. But she was also heroic, kind and forgiving.

I had always looked up to her and aspired to be like her, although I never thought I would have to save her life from a bear. I looked up to all of the Pevensies, they all have incredibly admirable qualities to encompass. They led Narnia through the best age ever recorded. The Golden Age.

"That's the problem with girls," Peter commented, smiling a little as he led the way. "You can't carry a map in your heads."

I smiled at the sibling's sarcastic attitude with one another before defending the three females.

"That's because our heads have something in them." I retorted. The High King looked at me with a shocked expression, clearly surprised at my words, before letting out a laugh. Everyone else was pleasantly surprised. Trumpkin was especially pleased.

"I like her." Edmund mused, grinning at me. We seemed to share the same kind of humour, as well as sarcasm. This was something the Narnians struggled to comprehend - they were all so serious. I mirrored his expression of an awkward, yet genuine smile.

"How could you not?" Trumpkin asked gruffly, I knew he was just being overprotective. After all, he's been one of my father figures. He raised me from birth.

"I wish he'd just listen to the D.L.F," Lucy says to her sister, who nodded. It was clear Lucy liked this nickname, it appeared to be a cute joke between the two sisters.

"D.L.F?" Edmund and I chorused, which made me laugh a little. I liked Edmund so far, too. Where some people would often try to mock me, or be rude, he was just himself. He, like myself, made funny sarcastic comments, however, he was a mature, passionate person as far as I could tell. Which arguably was the best part of a day.

"Dear Little Friend," Lucy explained, grinning. Obviously, she was excited to hear Trumpkin's reaction to the nickname. I stopped walking in shock and covered my mouth with my hand to hide my giggles. I knew Trumpkin well and he was bound to react badly to this as if he was completely humiliated. Edmund was also glancing over at Trumpkin with the same amused look in his eye.

"Oh," Trumpkin breathed out, turning pale. "That's not at all patronising, is it?" I laughed harder now, uncovering my mouth and moving on, following Peter as he stepped out of a rock passage and stopped.

"I'm not lost." The High King insisted, doing a 360-scan, trying to identify his surroundings properly. He probably knew Narnia like the back of his hand after ruling it for such a long time.

"No," Trumpkin agreed, his usual grumpy tone returning as he followed High King Peter. "You're just going the wrong way." Peter turned and glared at Trumpkin with a dumbfounded expression.

"You said you last saw Caspian in the Shuddering Wood and the quickest way there is to cross at the river rush," Peter stated firmly.

I wanted to speak up, but I chose not to and stood next to Lucy and Susan, who looked at me apologetically regarding their older brother's behaviour. He was definitely the most protective sibling but also the most stubborn in what he believed in. I doubt the High King liked being wrong.